Helpful Score: 1
I listened to The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell and it was delightful to have actor Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey's Mrs. Bates) read this story to me. She was very skilled at conveying the emotions of the story as well as the multiple characters.
While the author has written in a variety of genres, this is a mystery rather than a thriller. I haven't read many of her novels so I didn't begin this with any expectations.
Told in two close timelines (2017 and 2019), the novel centers around 22-year-old Tallulah who is easily influenced by the people in her life. Her plans to pursue education beyond high school are derailed by an unplanned pregnancy with her long-term boyfriend Zach. Her mother Kim is very supportive, providing the couple a place to live and often babysitting her infant grandson. When the couple doesn't return after an evening at the local pub, Kim pursues every available source of information, including a mystery author who recently moved to the area and discovers a surprising object buried under a handwritten "Dig Here" sign.
I felt parts of the storyline were believable and well done while others seemed unnecessary. Overall, this set the mood for my 'spooky stories' reading for October.
While the author has written in a variety of genres, this is a mystery rather than a thriller. I haven't read many of her novels so I didn't begin this with any expectations.
Told in two close timelines (2017 and 2019), the novel centers around 22-year-old Tallulah who is easily influenced by the people in her life. Her plans to pursue education beyond high school are derailed by an unplanned pregnancy with her long-term boyfriend Zach. Her mother Kim is very supportive, providing the couple a place to live and often babysitting her infant grandson. When the couple doesn't return after an evening at the local pub, Kim pursues every available source of information, including a mystery author who recently moved to the area and discovers a surprising object buried under a handwritten "Dig Here" sign.
I felt parts of the storyline were believable and well done while others seemed unnecessary. Overall, this set the mood for my 'spooky stories' reading for October.
Helpful Score: 1
Sloooooooooo
Borrrrrrring
Confusing
Plod through different timelines? again? boring!!!
Borrrrrrring
Confusing
Plod through different timelines? again? boring!!!
Helpful Score: 1
This is probably my least favorite Jewell book. It kept me turning pages just to know what really happened that night but I felt let down in the end. I knew how it would play out well before we get answers (though I didn't know specific details). Also I found it over the top and hard to believe. This would have been solved much sooner in a real investigation. There are so many unlikable characters. And it's a sad ending with some hope but so much damage done and pain ahead.
Helpful Score: 1
Great story that keeps you entranced through the entire book. The story surrounds the disappearance of a young couple. It shifts between two timelines. One before the disappearance and one set after. As we go along things are pieced together. For most part, the book keeps moving but occasionally it does drag. This happened only a few times for me and did not take away from the story. You also get a good idea on what happened midway through the book, but I had to go to the end to have it fully fleshed out.
Helpful Score: 1
A young woman and her boyfriend disappear after partying at the massive country estate of a new college friend. One year later, a writer moves into a cottage that border the same estate. During a walk, the artist stumbles upon a mysterious note that simply reads, DIG HERE. Could this be a clue towards what has happened to the missing young couple? And what exactly is buried in this haunted ground? This was a twisty work of suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat until the final page. It switches timelines from present day 2018 and 2017 before the disappearances. The ending was a complete surprise that I did not expect. If you enjoy cold cases of family trauma with dark secrets then you will enjoy this one. I would say that this is Lisa Jewell's best book to date.
