Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of Then She Was Gone

Then She Was Gone
debbiemd avatar reviewed on


Great book. Suspense/mystery that sucked me in right away. I had part of the story figured out early on, but the ending surprised me. In a good way. Sad and sweet, well written, great characters and great plot.

Ellie is 15 and a beautiful, bright girl when she suddenly goes missing. Ten years later her mom Laurel is still trying to put the pieces of her life back together when she meets Floyd and his 9 year old daughter Poppy. Who looks so much like Ellie.

Plot reveal: Ellie had a tutor Noelle who was mentally twisted. Noelle was Floyd's girlfriend at the time and had suffered two miscarriages. She kidnapped Ellie, locked her in the basement, impregnated her with purchased sperm, and then pretended Poppy was her child with Floyd. Floyd discovers 5 years later that Noelle has lied and Poppy is not really his daughter and kills Noelle in a fit of rage. And then says she just left Poppy with him and went missing. But when Ellie's bones are found in a ditch (Noelle had dumped them there when Poppy was a baby) and he realizes the truth, he befriends Laurel. And gives her the gift of Poppy.

Lots of plot twists and turns. I figured out Poppy was Ellie's child, but thought Floyd was somehow involved in the kidnapping. But at the end he leaves a long note for Laurel telling her the truth and leaving Poppy to her while he leaves and goes off to kill himself.