Search  for anything...

Then She Was Gone: A Novel

  • Based on 155,721 reviews
Condition: Used - Good
Checking for the best price...
$6.09 Why this price?
Save $9.91 was $16.00

Buy Now, Pay Later


As low as $1 / mo
  • – 4-month term
  • – No impact on credit to apply
  • – Instant approval decision
  • – Secure and straightforward checkout

Ready to go? Add this product to your cart and select a plan during checkout.

Payment plans are offered through our trusted finance partners Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay, Zip, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. No-credit-needed leasing options through Acima may also be available at checkout.

Learn more about financing & leasing here.

Free shipping on this product

FREE 30-day refund/replacement

To qualify for a full refund, items must be returned in their original, unused condition. If an item is returned in a used, damaged, or materially different state, you may be granted a partial refund.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.


Availability: In Stock.
Fulfilled by GREENWORLD BOOKS

Arrives Sep 11 – Sep 13
Order within 21 hours and 42 minutes
Available payment plans shown during checkout

Protection Plan Protect Your Purchase
Checking for protection plans...

Description

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? Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria


Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 6, 2018


Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 384 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1501154656


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 52


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.96 x 8.25 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #590 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #38 in Mothers & Children Fiction #39 in Women's Domestic Life Fiction #68 in Family Life Fiction (Books)


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Sep 11 – Sep 13

Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

  • Klarna Financing
  • Affirm Pay in 4
  • Affirm Financing
  • Afterpay Financing
  • Zip Pay in 4
  • Financing through Apple Pay
  • Financing through Google Pay
Leasing options through Acima may also be available during checkout.

Learn more about financing & leasing here.

Top Amazon Reviews


  • Sad and uncomfortable ... and utterly captivating
Format: Kindle
This author is not in need of yet another review. This novel has well over 122,000 of them, so I am well aware of the fact that one more will not make a difference—either good or bad—and normally I wouldn’t take the time to write a review for a book with this many reviews … but I was deeply affected by this novel, so I decided I needed to write some of my thoughts and feelings about it down. After going through and reading some of the reviews other readers left, I was spurred on even further to share my own. Then She Was Gone is the first novel I’ve read by Lisa Jewell. I am a fan of mysteries and thrillers, and this book was one that was recommended by Amazon because of other books in my Kindle library. It also happened to be on sale—just to be honest—and the synopsis grabbed me. It sounded interesting, so I bought it. I am much like other readers … I don’t always finish every book I pick up. I am a writer myself, so I do for other authors what I hope readers will do for me and push into a book as far as I can before I stop reading. Not every book is for every reader, but this novel by Lisa Jewell was one I found enormously gripping. This story was sad and uncomfortable. It was heartbreaking, and while it wasn’t what one might categorize a typical thriller as some other reviewers stated, it was definitely mysterious and twisty, and I was propelled through the story because I had to know all of the sordid details. To be fair, as I write this review, the categories this novel is listed in are Women’s New Adult & College Fiction, Women’s Divorce Fiction and Women’s Literary Fiction. It isn’t listed in Mystery, or Suspense, or Crime. Even People Magazine says it’s an “acutely observed family drama”. While maybe not a typical mystery novel, it was recommended to me because there are elements of suspense and yes, mystery. Truthfully, I felt that Ms. Jewell delivered a book that was described perfectly by the synopsis, and it was definitely one I had a hard time putting down. There’s no way around it. Then She Was Gone is creepy. It’s gloomy. There were so many things about many of these characters that I didn’t like, that made me angry. I believe that’s one of the many reasons I kept reading—because they were all human. They were real. They did things that were annoying. I questioned them. For instance, I struggled with Laurel because I, too, am a mom to more than one child and cannot fathom loving one of them more than the other. But I’ve known other mothers in real life that are very much like Laurel. None of us are one-dimensional, and Ms. Jewell’s characters certainly weren’t. I wanted to learn more about why they were the way they were or made the decisions that they made, and the story—which is told over a ten-year time span—takes the reader on a journey and shows how the characters change and develop over that time. I believe Ms. Jewell knew the story was an emotionally exhausting one, and I think she wrote it brilliantly. Then She Was Gone made me incredibly sad, as it was meant to. It was not a book that was easy to read. As I stated before, it was emotionally taxing. It was twisted and evil, and yet utterly captivating in ways that are difficult to describe. I am more than happy to rate this book all five stars and will definitely read more from this author—although I do believe I’ll need some time for this novel to settle before I am able to jump into another written by this talented author. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2025 by J.C. Wing

  • Predictable but good
Format: Paperback
This book is based in the UK and is about a teenage girl who goes missing. There were lots of twist and turns and it did keep my attention pretty well. The only issue I had was that I didn't realize the author was British before reading the book and there were several words I did not know what they meant. I do recommend this book as the story is definitely wild. It did become a bit predictable to me but not a let down. The other thing that bothered me was the chapters were not labeled with the character name who was speaking and you just basically had to read and then figure it out lol. But all in all its a good story and has a HEA. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2025 by Lindsey

  • A Thriller That Thrills
Format: Paperback
Everything that you need a thriller to be, simply put. The whole I-am-on-the-edge-of-my-seat thing really plays out, and also the belief that you know who did it and why, and then nope, and then OK well now I know, and then nope. Plot twists and turns, and the desire to shout, "No, don't do that! It's a trap!" abounds. Frustrating in the way that good thrillers are in that you want to reach inside the book and start directing traffic, to save the doomed, to free the enslaved, to warn the obtuse. But then you must remind yourself that these are not, in fact, real people, but rather characters on a page, and as such are both completely irredeemable, and poetically perfect at the same exact time. If you are a fan of escapism, then this book will well serve to take you utterly out of your banal existence for the duration. Would recommend. You simply can't go wrong by picking up a Lisa Jewell book, and this one is no exception. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2026 by Alicia M. Webster

  • The perfect beach holiday pick! Harrowing and riveting from beginning to end!
Format: Paperback
Laurel experiences the unthinkable: her fourteen-year-old child goes missing. Not just her child — it is THE child, the one she favors over her three children. Ellie goes to school one day and never comes back. She’s there one moment, and then she’s gone. Ellie is a smart, carefree girl with a crush on a guy who shares her passion for academics and good grades, so she’s no runaway. The years go by, and just when the police give up, Laurel gets some rather devastating news... The years pass. Laurel trudges through her days, picking up the pieces of her broken life. She tries to make amends with her daughter Hannah and her son Jake, but they’re all grown now, with their own lives to worry about. Her marriage is long over, her ex now in a steady and loving relationship with a pleasant lady. Laurel's life couldn't be worse if she tried... And then she meets Floyd. It’s a chance encounter, a semi meet-cute at a café. He tells her about his books — academic books about math — and about his #1 fan: his nine-year-old daughter, Poppy. Hope flares for Laurel. Will she find happiness with Floyd? And then she meets his daughter — and it’s like taking a trip to the past. Poppy is almost the splitting image of Ellie. Laurel is floored. How is it possible? This is only the beginning though. She’s opened a Pandora’s Box of disturbing revelations that even she wouldn’t have been able to imagine. I’m not a fan of child abduction thrillers, but THEN SHE WAS GONE is one harrowing and amazing read! I couldn’t put it down. This book was on my TBR pile for over a year. I took it with me for my French Polynesian holiday because, why not? I’m so glad I did. The sea-salt breeze, the hammock, the sunset, this book — sweet memories are made of this! I took three books with me, and this one practically read itself. The writing is amazing, well crafted and riveting, with no over the top twists for shock value. Everything serves a purpose in this book. Many of us will guess the outcome, but that’s beside the point. There are so many surprises — so many “mini twists” — that you’ll love it for the character-driven piece of brilliant suspense that it is. The psychological aspects are amazing. There’s a character with Borderline Personality Disorder in this book, and the author touches on various subjects, like triangulation and toxic enmeshments. It’s all done in an organic, not-in-your-face way, which makes it more appealing. I’ve always loved Lisa Jewell, have loved her since her early “chick lit” days. I’m glad she now gets to write the genre she loves. Downsides? Just one. Floyd is a socially awkward mathematician, but he says “Brangelina” at one point. I can’t picture a man — let alone a middle-aged one — saying something like this. I’m surprised the editor didn’t pick up on it. Other than that, I love this novel. One of my favorites this year. Five solid Pecan and Toffee iced lattes, with extra vanilla-flavored oat milk! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2020 by Mini

  • Emotional, Suspenseful, and Full of Secrets
Format: Kindle
This book was both emotionally gripping and incredibly suspenseful. The mystery surrounding the disappearance kept me fully invested, while the story slowly revealed shocking secrets and complicated relationships beneath the surface. I really enjoyed the emotional depth mixed with the psychological tension throughout the story. The pacing steadily builds suspense, making it difficult to stop reading because every chapter adds another layer to the mystery. The twists were unexpected and kept me questioning what truly happened until the very end. Readers who enjoy emotional psychological thrillers, missing person mysteries, family secrets, and character-driven suspense will definitely enjoy this read. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2026 by Carline Davis

  • Delivers on themes of exploring grief & the pain of unanswered questions
Format: Kindle
I liked this book, but I didn't quite love it. The story initially grabbed me. The disappearance of Ellie Mack is heartbreaking, and the way her family's lives unravel in the absence of answers feels authentic. The uncertainty of not knowing what happened—and not even having the chance to lay a loved one to rest—is portrayed with real emotional weight. For me, though, the plot became harder to believe as the story unfolded. Once Laurel meets a man whose young daughter bears an uncanny resemblance to Ellie, the story took a turn that stretched my suspension of disbelief a little too far. That said, the novel has redeeming qualities. Lisa Jewell does an excellent job exploring grief, the pain of unanswered questions, and the ways unimaginable loss can fracture even the closest families. I also appreciated the nuanced look at sibling rivalry, parental favoritism, and the difficult work of healing after tragedy. Those emotional themes resonated with me even if the central plot did not. Overall, this was a good read with strong character development and meaningful emotional depth. If you enjoy character-driven mysteries and don't mind a premise that asks for a bit of suspension of disbelief, you'll likely enjoy this one more than I did. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2026 by tpot.nc

  • What a twist!
Format: Kindle
I enjoyed this book. It certainly was different and I got totally absorbed in the plot, characters and couldn't really put it down for long. I was compelled to finish the story. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes a good plot twister of gruesome proportions. Gives you that, "huh" moment. Thank you! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2026 by Jasmine

  • suspenseful
Format: Kindle
Wow!!! What a tear jerker!!! I really enjoyed this book. It has love, suspense & murder, without being scary and spooky. Definitely a page turner that had me reading throughout the night. It’s a good read!
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2026 by tcmdavis

Can't find a product?

Find it on Amazon first, then paste the link below.
Checking for best price...