Member Reviews

When Kim's daughter Tallulah and her boyfriend don't return home from a night out, she immediately knows that something is wrong. The doting parents would never just leave their son Noah with her and run off. Kim is on a desperate quest to find out what happened to her daughter before it's too late.

This is exactly what I've come to expect from Lisa Jewell. A gripping, easy to read, thriller. But one in which some of the characters actions won't feel completely believable.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

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A daughter disappears leaving behind her baby daughter. The baby's father also disappears. Lots of red herrings and some big twists.

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What a great read! Two young people, Zach and Tallulah head out for a date night, leaving their young child in the care of her mum. But they don't return that night, and no one knows what happened. They've completely disappeared. Each chapter is a time shift from the past, and back to the present, so the story line was slowly revealed as it happened at the time, and then fast forward to current the current investigation. The story is really well told, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked, right to the end.

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Wow! What an incredible book, this by far, is my favourite Lisa Jewell.
I just could not put this down, I loved it.

When you read that Tullulah and Ryan have disappeared, you think immediately something bad has happened to them, because would she leave her son? My heart absolutely ached for little Noah, I think being a mum really pulled at my heart strings. Then you have poor Kim, what has happened to her daughter? No one helping her out, but she didn't give up hope.
You knew as the book went on, nothing was straight forward and I loved the affair storyline. Scarlett, she was a character, one you did not like from the start and no you know why.
The ending, oh my god, I had a little tear!
Honestly, brilliant book, I could rave about it all day.

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Lisa Jewell has done it again with a really enjoyable mystery with characters you feel you know and begin to care about, along with a plot that doesn't go too far into the realms of fantasy. There are enough twists to keep you guessing and the outcome doesn't disappoint. My thanks to Netgalley for my copy of The Night She Disappeared.

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From page one of this book, I was hooked! Never having read a Lisa Jewell novel, I was interested to find out if this was my kind of thing! On reading this book, I had ups & downs, loves & hates, shouts & doubts. I must read too many crime novels. I had an inkling of where this story was going. The novel has a modern feel of 2020 in its language/vocabulary. Lisa keeps you guessing on your journey through this book and you won't be disappointed. Fans of Lisa's books who know her writing better than myself, will love this story.

I give a 4-star rating and would recommend this book.

I WANT TO THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

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Lisa Jewell is one of the most talented writers to utilise multiple POVs and timelines, and she is mostly successful with it here. She manages to leave you hanging after each chapter, eager to learn more. She’s also proficient at wrapping up all loose ends and giving a plausible ending. I so appreciate that as a reader, and I think many others will as well.

While I feel this book could’ve been a little darker, I thoroughly enjoyed the nuances and surprises in store. The back and forth worked so well in creating a compelling plot and making this reader skip his Sunday nap.

All in all, I recommend this to those who won’t be disappointed if it’s not quite as dark as it initially sounds. It’s still a satisfying mystery, and Jewell fans should eat it up! I expected a bit more, and didn’t love the lengthy epilogue, but it is certainly as compelling as you’d expect from the author.

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'The Night She Disappeared' is another great read by Lisa Jewell, an author whose new books I look out for, knowing that I'll always get a good one!

The book opens with a brief paragraph about 19 year old Tallulah 'in the dark,' which tells us nothing initially, until we meet Kim in Chapter One. Kim waved her daughter Tallulah, and boyfriend Zach, off on their date the previous evening, promising to watch their son Noah so that they could enjoy a rare night out. Tallulah and Zach never come home.

A year after they disappear, Sophie moves with her partner into a house in the grounds of Maypole House, a private school in the village. Sophie is a published author of mystery novels, and is immediately intrigued by note she finds pinned to a fence post that reads, 'dig here.'

As Sophie delves in the disappearance of Tallulah and Zach, becoming acquainted with Kim along the way, the timelines gradually merge until they become one in the present moment, and the pair join forces to bring the story to its climax.

Lisa Jewell, master storyteller, cleverly works her story around several viewpoints and timelines, gradually revealing a fascinating plot like a jigsaw being constructed piece by piece. As the picture builds we are introduced to well-developed characters, good dialogue and complex relationships.

Scarlett Jacques is probably the most intriguing character; a girl of many faces, the reader is never quite sure what her truth is, even at the end.

I must confess to being just a little bit disappointed at the ending, although I don't really have any alternative suggestions, hence my four stars, but overall, readers, you are in for another gem of a read!

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Another Jewell from Lisa ! You are always assured of a damned good read and this was no different .
Young couple Zach and Tallulah leave their baby with mum and set off for a date night -from which they do not return .
12 months later and there is a new headmaster at the local school . His girlfriend is a crime novelist and when she learns of the disappearance -she decides to do some investigating herself .
Full of twists and turns -I loved it .

Thankyou NetGalley for an ARC inreturn for an honest review.

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Two years ago, Kim’s daughter Tallulah and her boyfriend Zach went missing in the local woods after attending a party at bleakly named Dark House. Police assumed they’d run away together, but Kim knew Tallulah would never willingly abandon her beloved baby son. Now, as fresh evidence emerges, a chilling narrative unfolds a tale of toxic friendship, controlling relationships and what really happened that night.
I could not put this book down. Though set in the present, its atmospheric descriptions of the house, woods and school where most of the action takes place lends it a slightly Gothic air that contrasts well with the modern-day reality of single-parenthood and complicated family relationships.
The characters were all sympathetic, the plot was convincing and the writing compelling. Another winner from Lisa Jewell.

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Another great thriller from Lisa Jewell. Some really good characters and a fascinating storyline. Lots of twists and turns with a great conclusion. Thoroughly enjoyable read!

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I have read every book Lisa Jewell has written and have never been disappointed yet, absolutely love her style of writing and this book is another 5 stars. I think The Night She Disappeared is one of her best but then I always think that with every new book and am pleasantly surprised by her next book!
Another winner for Lisa, highly recommended to fans old and new.

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What a great storyteller Lisa Jewell is. I love the way her books imagine normal scenarios and people but a wrong decision here and there can have devastating consequences. When teenage couple Tullulah and Zach go missing after a night out, leaving their one year old son behind, there is nothing to suggest what may have happened to them. They had attended a small party at a friend’s house after a visiting a local pub. No-one saw anything, and it was suggested they went home. The story then alternates between the disappearance in 2017 and late summer of 2018 when a young author of detective fiction moves into the village with her headmaster boyfriend. The mystery grabs her interest and she can’t help but get involved especially when clues appear near her home seemingly with the intention of her finding them. A clever, involved tale that has the reader guessing until the end. Another superb book from Lisa Jewell.

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The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell
Publisher: Century Penguin Random House
Publication Date: 22/7/21

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another engrossing and unputdownable read from Lisa Jewell. Every Mother’s worst nightmare but totally believable and relatable. I was gripped from the outset, loved the role and character of Sophie and how that made the story evolve and was desperate to get to the end which did not disappoint.

Highly recommended.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for providing me with this advance digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

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One night 17 year old Talulah and her live in boyfriend Zach, father to her one year old baby go to the pub for a night out and never come back. The last time they were seen was at a house party of Scarlet troubled daughter of rich parents. Author, Sophie moves to live in accommodation at the private school that her boyfriend is now head teacher at. After hearing about the disappearance of the teenagers she finds a clue and gets drawn in to the mystery of what happened to Talulah & Zach.

In my opinion this is the best book that Lisa Jewel has written so far. The story is told from several viewpoints Talulah leading up to and on the night she disappeared, Talulah’s mum Kim & Author Sophie. This story really drew me in and although I normally find myself wishing Lisa’s books were a bit faster paced I was really happy with the pacing of this one. This was close to being a five star read for me but I really wished that the ending had been a different one as I found myself both questioning it and wishing it was different.

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This is a decent, page turner from the Queen of suspense. However, I'm afraid it didn't hook me as much as many of her other books and I was left feeling slightly deflated.
in 2017 a young girl goes on a date with her boyfriend and leaves behind her young (much loved) Son with her mother. Neither return and Kim (the mother) spends many frantic hours, days, weeks and then months, looking for them both, whilst caring for her grandson.
In and amongst the chapters that chart this disappearance is another parallel story about Sophie and her boyfriend who have recently moved into a new home as he has taken up the position of Head Teacher at a school for the privileged and Sophie finds a sign in nearby woods stating 'Dig here' so, she does.

As I say, it's a decent read and it's got a satisfying conclusion. It's just that, for much of the book I felt frustrated at the pace and just wanted to find out what the heck was going on.

Stick with it though, it's worth it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK / Cornerstone Century for the opportunity to preview.

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A slow burn thriller we get to know early on that the young parents of Noah have gone missing . They live with her mother and everything seems great, they are good parents and planning their future . Slowly it is revealed that not everything is as it appears and cracks appear. Tallulah's mother tries to keep the case in the public's eye.
The story is also written in part from the viewpoint of Sophie, who just moved to the area after her partner became headmaster at the private school in the village. Being a crime writer, she is interested in the case.
Typically from Lisa Jewell, there are lots of different side stories, some resolved, some not and it is well written. Good descriptions so that the reader gets a realistic picture of events and places and conversations are well done.
Definitely a book I am going to be thinking about for the coming days because the ending raises lots of questions.
Thank you to net galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

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Lisa Jewell never fails to disappoint with her books. The mystery behind Tallulah's disappearance is intriguing, with things gradually being revealled throughout the book. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

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I gave up with this book around the 40% mark.

I did enjoy the overall plot but it was just too slow burning for me. The first quarter or so was just repetitive with little progression.

I didn't particilarly connect with any of the narrative voices,.with perhaps the exception of Kim who I sympathised with but not enough to keep pushing on with the rest of the book.

The narrative voices sort of worked in parallel but they were all set at similar times and they all just sounded the same.. None of them were overly unique from each other and at times I had to go back and remind myself who I was reading about.

Normally if I do not finish I would skip to the end to see who did what and what happened but I just wasn't invested enough.

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Told over dual timelines this story will keep you guessing to the end. I quickly felt involved with the main characters and invested in the outcome. Although I found the ending a little far fetched this didn’t really detract from my enjoyment.

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