The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell is a story about a young mom, Tallulah, who mysteriously vanishes after a night out with friends and her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Zach in 2017. Nearly two years later, there’s still no trace of Tallulah or Zach. Tallulah’s mom, Kim, has been searching for answers since she watched Tallulah leave on that fateful June evening. She’s tried contacting Tallulah’s friends and Zach’s parents, none of whom seem concerned or willing to answer any questions about the young couple whereabouts.
In 2019, Sophie, a mystery writer, moves into a cottage at a boarding school with her boyfriend, the soon-to-be head teacher. One day, as Sophie is out for a walk, she happens upon a small, handwritten sign with the words “Dig Here” written on it. What she soon discovers will set a chain of events into motion to finally discover the truth about Tallulah’s whereabouts.
In true Lisa Jewell fashion, The Night She Disappeared is an unputdownable and gripping novel. Filled with descriptive writing, a captivating story, and enthralling characters, The Night She Disappeared is a book that transports you to the eerie scenes of Tallulah’s disappearance, leaving you guessing ‘whodunit’ until the last few pages of the book.
All types of characters come to life through this story; you’re sure to identify particular character traits that resemble people in your life. Lisa Jewell has a particular talent for creating vivid characters and plot lines that have you invested from the first page to the last.
This book has incredible character development and plot twists you don’t see coming. I flew through this book because I just had to find out what happened! As compulsively readable as it is smart, The Night She Disappeared is a book steeped in drama and mystery. At its core, The Night She Disappeared is about an unbreakable mother/daughter bond that carries on throughout the story, despite Tallulah’s absence. You’re privy to Kim’s powerful character development, as you ‘witness’ her transition from mom and grandmother, to her daughter’s fierce protector and advocate. While Tallulah’s disappearance is initially brushed off as a teen mom wanting a break from her everyday responsibilities, Kim fights for her daughter; she knows Tallulah is a good mother and would never willingly leave her baby.
You can feel Kim’s heartbreak through the pages; it leaves you winded and sympathetic to Kim’s newfound situation as the sole caregiver of Noah, Tallulah and Zach’s son, all the while attempting to keep police attention on her daughter’s case.
As the story alternates between past and present, you are brought along on Tallulah’s night out with Zach and her friends, while Kim and Sophie discover the truth about what really happened that night. Alternating perspectives between Tallulah, Kim, and Sophie serve to create a fast-paced thriller that will leave you speechless.
If you’re looking for a mystery/thriller book with lots of drama and surprising twists-look no further! You can purchase The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell here on Amazon.
