Then She Was Gone: Storyline and Book Review

Then She Was Gone is a psychological thriller by author Lisa Jewell. The story’s protagonist is Laurel Mack, a middle-aged woman and mother of three children, one of whom is Elli Mack, the girl who suddenly went missing ten years ago.

Elli was Laurel’s favourite child. Now, as she is gone, Laurel’s life is full of despair. Elli was bright, ambitious and excited about her future. She had a boyfriend, and everything was going for her. When she was around 15, she left home and never returned. The police launched a search, but when they could not find Elli’s whereabouts, they concluded that Elli probably ran away from the house.

For 10 years, there has been no news of or from Elli, and Laurel is desperate for closure. Laurel doesn’t believe that Elli ran away. She is afraid that something bad has happened to her. But she has no idea what more she can do to find her missing daughter. Elli’s disappearance has left a void in her life, and no information about Elli leaves her sad and hopeless. This impacts her mental well-being and her relationship with her other children and husband.

One day, when the police find evidence pointing towards Elli’s death, Laurel gets the answers to her questions and realizes how she almost knew that the worst had happened with Elli. However, Laurel gets the closure she had so desperately sought for a decade. She wants to rebuild her life and start afresh.

Luckily, she meets Floyd. They meet at a cafe and find a connection. The two start spending time together. Once, when Laurel visits Floyd at his house, she is shocked to see his 9-year-old daughter Poppy, who is the spitting image of Elli when she was that age. Poppy is an endearing child, intelligent and curious and quite mature for her age. As Eli starts spending time with her, she soon realizes that there is more to Elli’s story that waits to be discovered.

As Laurel investigates deeper, she encounters things she had never imagined, linking Elli’s disappearance to even the people she loves and trusts.

Then She Was Gone is an engaging read. The narration is fast and quick-paced. The author has delved deep into the emotional journey of Laurel Mack, the protagonist, making the reader feel a profound connection with her. Her feelings and emotions have been captured quite well, and one can feel the pain and agony of a mother whose child is taken away.

All in all, it was an interesting read. While some readers may be able to predict the end midway through the book, the overall narration and delivery are good enough to keep you glued and eager to see how the story unfolds.