The Night She Disappeared Book Review

When I picked up this book, it felt like forever since I last read a hard copy book, making it a treat before I even started page one. I have enjoyed the other Lisa Jewell books I have read, leaving me with high expectations when I reached for this one. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. The Night She Disappeared is Lisa Jewell as her best. This book had me engrossed from start to finish.

The Night She Disappeared tells the story of a nineteen-year-old who goes out for a night with her friends only to disappear without a trace. Probably not the best choice of book while my nineteen-year-old was away for the weekend with her friends. I found myself almost obsessed with checking in with my child while reading this story.

I love the way Lisa Jewell jumps around from past to present, telling the story from different characters’ point of view and only pulling it all together right at the end. While she leaves you guessing from one chapter to the next, Jewell ties the story together beautifully making sure that when you reach the last page you are not left with any questions. Every little detail is covered, and everything is explained leaving you completely satisfied.

As I was reaching the last few pages of this book, I found myself procrastinating, taking little breaks because I did not want it to end. I wanted the story to keep going.

Nineteen-year-old Tallulah is a responsible mother, so when she leaves the house for a date with little Noah’s dad, Kim is happy that her daughter is taking some time for herself. She deserves it.

When Kim wakes up at 04h30 to discover that Tallulah has not returned home she knows something is wrong. Kim contacts Tallulah’s friends and manages to find out that she went to a pool party at a nearby house in the woods called Dark Place. After that, no one knows what happened to her. Tallulah is not seen again.

Fifteen months later, Sophie moves into a cottage with Shaun, who is the new headteacher at Maypole House. While going for a walk in the woods behind the cottage she sees a sign nailed to the back fence, the sign says: “Dig Here” Sophie is the author of a detective series and finds herself too curious to walk away. She digs and finds herself drawn into the mysterious disappearance of Tallulah.

I idea of a child simply disappearing is without a doubt every mother’s darkest fear. The Night She Disappeared brings that anxiety to the surface. I could not drag myself away from this book even while I constantly cast an eye to my cell phone looking for messages from my daughter. This book is unbelievable good, and I was blown away by this marvellous story. This is my favourite Lisa Jewell book so far.

My heart broke for Kim, Tallulah’s mother. She had no idea what happened to her daughter and struggled to get through the days that followed Tallulah’s disappearance. All the time doing her best to maintain a sense of normalcy for little Noah. I am not sure I would have the strength this character showed if I found myself in a similar position. The author did a remarkable job sharing Kim’s anguish.  Tallulah kept so much about her life hidden, from her family, her boyfriend and her friends. I found myself wondering if the situation would have been different if she communicated better.

Lisa Jewell left me in awe with this novel. I have always enjoyed her writing, but this book has certainly pushed her a little higher on my list of favourite authors. I cannot wait to get my hands on her next book.

Psychological suspense fans can expect a truly gripping, suspense-filled, page-turner when they reach for The Night She Disappeared.

Even if you have never read Lisa Jewell before, I highly recommend this book.