Why do you think Lisa structured the book this way? How would you categorize each section-what makes it distinct from the other parts of the book?Ħ. Then She Was Gone is divided into six parts. What was your impression of Poppy when she is first introduced? Did this change over the course of the book, and if so, how?ĥ. Did you think Lisa Jewell’s portrayal of Laurel and her journey was realistic? Could you relate to the way she dealt with her grief, or did you find it alienating?Ĥ. In the prologue, it says “Looking at it backward it was obvious all along.” Now that you’ve finished the novel, do you agree? What “warning signs” referred to in the prologue might Ellie have spotted if she’d been more aware?ģ. How soon did you guess what really happened to Ellie, and if you did, did it affect your enjoyment of the book?Ģ. Yet many questions are answered quite early on in the book. Then She Was Gone is, first and foremost, a mystery. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.ġ. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. This reading group guide for Then She Was Gone includes discussion questions and ideas for enhancing your book club. Where did Ellie go? Did she really run away from home, as the police have long suspected, or was there a more sinister reason for her disappearance? Who is Floyd, really? And why does his daughter remind Laurel so viscerally of her own missing girl? Reading Group Guide And now, the unanswered questions she’s tried so hard to put to rest begin to haunt Laurel anew. Before she knows it, she’s meeting Floyd’s daughters-and his youngest, Poppy, takes Laurel’s breath away.īecause looking at Poppy is like looking at Ellie. 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. It’s been ten years since her daughter disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie’s case was unearthed. Now, her mother Laurel Mack is trying to put her life back together. Ellie was days away from an idyllic post-exams summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her. Beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers, and half of a teenaged golden couple. From the New York Times bestselling author of Invisible Girl and The Truth About Melody Browne comes a “riveting” ( PopSugar) and “acutely observed family drama” ( People) that delves into the lingering aftermath of a young girl’s disappearance.Įllie Mack was the perfect daughter.

Then she was gone a novel reviews