Then She Was Gone
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?
- Pages
- 426
- First published
- January 1, 2017
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ebook
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Shelved by 7 Litcadians
Reviews
- Anonymous
Finished June 18, 2023
I’m honestly not completely sure what to say. This was a lot darker than I thought it would be, but I did enjoy it; to a point. The entire thing of Noelle kidnapping Ellie and the forcing her to have a baby didn’t sit right with me. Hardly any of this book did. The pure hatred I have for Noelle is unbelievable. In the end though, I’m glad Poppy’s with Laurel now. I genuinely believed that Ellie would make it. I cried at the end of this. Overall, I give it 4.5/5 stars, but I’d only recommend it to a certain audience.
Started June 17, 2023 · Finished June 18, 2023
Finished March 28, 2025
This is a deeply emotional, suspenseful, and unsettling story that kept me hooked from start to finish. The characters, especially Laurel, feel incredibly real. Her pain over losing her daughter is raw and palpable, making Ellie’s disappearance something you experience alongside her. The multiple POVs add depth to the story, giving insight into different motivations and slowly unraveling the dark secrets at play. This is more than just a psychological thriller - it’s a story about grief, maternal love, healing, and resilience. Highly recommend!

