Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Atria Books (2021), 416 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone comes "her best thriller yet" (Harlan Coben, New York Times bestselling author) about a young couple's disappearance on a gorgeous summer night, and the mother who will never give up trying to find them. On a beautiful summer night in a charming English suburb, 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 on the edge of the woods that border the same estate. Known locally as the Dark Place, the dense forest is the writer's favorite place for long walks and it's on one such walk that she 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? "Utterly gripping with richly drawn, hugely compelling characters, this is a first-class thriller with heart" (Lucy Foley, New York Times bestselling author) that will keep you on the edge of your seat.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member nicx27
I have always loved a Lisa Jewell book so I eagerly picked up The Night She Disappeared and what a fantastic, twisty read it is.
In 2017, Tallulah and her boyfriend, Zach, go missing after a night out. Her mum, Kim, is at home looking after Tallulah's baby son, Noah, and waiting for her to return.
The story is told in three different timelines. What's quite unusual is that these timelines are really close together but each is completely distinct and I never felt confused or got them muddled up. There's the time running up to the disappearance, the time immediately afterwards and then the 2018 thread which takes place the following year. Lisa Jewell has done a brilliant job with the plotting, bringing each thread together perfectly and drip-feeding details to the reader. I had no idea at all what had happened to the teenagers.
I thought sense of place was really strong in this book. Dark Place is a mansion which features strongly and it's so atmospheric to read about. Tallulah's village and the school and college are also really well drawn. I did wonder how the author was going to bring it all to a conclusion and I thought it was more likely to be one outcome than the other, but the ending did work and again, that was down to the clever plotting.
This book really made me think about the people who disappear and are never found. How easy it can be to be wiped off the face of the planet and how on earth do people cope with losing a loved one in that way? It's such a tangled web of facts and deceit, combining to make a really mysterious and exciting read. This is a pretty big book at 480 pages but The Night She Disappeared is one that kept me hooked from beginning to end.
In 2017, Tallulah and her boyfriend, Zach, go missing after a night out. Her mum, Kim, is at home looking after Tallulah's baby son, Noah, and waiting for her to return.
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In 2018, Sophie and her boyfriend, Shaun, move into the headteacher's cottage at Maypole House boarding school. Sophie is a detective writer and when she discovers a cardboard sign in the garden saying "dig here" she's immediately intrigued and on the case.The story is told in three different timelines. What's quite unusual is that these timelines are really close together but each is completely distinct and I never felt confused or got them muddled up. There's the time running up to the disappearance, the time immediately afterwards and then the 2018 thread which takes place the following year. Lisa Jewell has done a brilliant job with the plotting, bringing each thread together perfectly and drip-feeding details to the reader. I had no idea at all what had happened to the teenagers.
I thought sense of place was really strong in this book. Dark Place is a mansion which features strongly and it's so atmospheric to read about. Tallulah's village and the school and college are also really well drawn. I did wonder how the author was going to bring it all to a conclusion and I thought it was more likely to be one outcome than the other, but the ending did work and again, that was down to the clever plotting.
This book really made me think about the people who disappear and are never found. How easy it can be to be wiped off the face of the planet and how on earth do people cope with losing a loved one in that way? It's such a tangled web of facts and deceit, combining to make a really mysterious and exciting read. This is a pretty big book at 480 pages but The Night She Disappeared is one that kept me hooked from beginning to end.
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LibraryThing member pgchuis
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
This took a while to get going, and even when it did there wasn't a lot to the plot really. The constantly shifting time lines and perspectives (seemingly compulsory for contemporary crime writing) slowed things down and were
This took a while to get going, and even when it did there wasn't a lot to the plot really. The constantly shifting time lines and perspectives (seemingly compulsory for contemporary crime writing) slowed things down and were
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confusing at times. I thought the depiction of Talullah's relationship with Zach was well done. I don't see that Sophie's character was necessary to the story at all. Her contribution seemed to be to fail to recognize the reproduction of the opening scene of her first novel - would any novelist really do so? - and feeling sexually attracted to a 19 year old boy. Otherwise her role would have been better incorporated in Kim's. The ending was rather melodramatic, although the very ending was excellent. Show Less
LibraryThing member SilversReviews
Where could Tallulah and Zach have gone after they left a party at the mansion called Dark Place?
Tallulah had a baby, and her mother, Kim, knew she would never leave him.
Kim checked with friends, and they had stories that didn’t match up about when and where Tallulah was and where she left the
After waiting twenty-four hours, Kim called the police and the search began.
Tallulah and Zach were never found, but as the book moves forward in time, we meet Sophie who moved into a house close to Dark House.
On the property where Sophie and her boyfriend are staying, she finds a sign that says: DIG HERE. Being curious about what that means, Sophie walks in the woods and finds Dark House abandoned and neglected.
What could this connection be?
Could this sign be a connection to the cold case?
Could it be a story for her to write about or to turn into her new novel?
The story of the missing teenagers is something Sophie couldn’t forget about and kept investigating.
THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED goes back and forth from the year Tallulah and Zach disappeared to present day as we find out background information, how little the investigation team did, and how finding the sign that says DIG HERE brings back the nightmare of the missing teens for Kim.
Ms. Jewell keeps her readers as curious as the characters about what happened.
The house seemed to be a character in itself and definitely added to the suspense.
So many possible suspects, but who is the right one?
Ms. Jewell has given us another tense read with an ending you will be talking about.
You won't want to miss THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED if you are a fan of Lisa Jewell, spooky houses, and multi-layered characters. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tallulah had a baby, and her mother, Kim, knew she would never leave him.
Kim checked with friends, and they had stories that didn’t match up about when and where Tallulah was and where she left the
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group.After waiting twenty-four hours, Kim called the police and the search began.
Tallulah and Zach were never found, but as the book moves forward in time, we meet Sophie who moved into a house close to Dark House.
On the property where Sophie and her boyfriend are staying, she finds a sign that says: DIG HERE. Being curious about what that means, Sophie walks in the woods and finds Dark House abandoned and neglected.
What could this connection be?
Could this sign be a connection to the cold case?
Could it be a story for her to write about or to turn into her new novel?
The story of the missing teenagers is something Sophie couldn’t forget about and kept investigating.
THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED goes back and forth from the year Tallulah and Zach disappeared to present day as we find out background information, how little the investigation team did, and how finding the sign that says DIG HERE brings back the nightmare of the missing teens for Kim.
Ms. Jewell keeps her readers as curious as the characters about what happened.
The house seemed to be a character in itself and definitely added to the suspense.
So many possible suspects, but who is the right one?
Ms. Jewell has given us another tense read with an ending you will be talking about.
You won't want to miss THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED if you are a fan of Lisa Jewell, spooky houses, and multi-layered characters. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member fredreeca
Tallulah is a teenage mother trying to do everything. She is a mother, a student, a girlfriend and a daughter. However, her boyfriend Zach is a little possessive. So when Tallulah has an opportunity to slip off and be with one of her friends at her home, The Dark Place, she does, every chance she
When she and Zach both disappear on the same evening and never return for their young child, Kim, Tallulah’s mother is distraught. Kim turns the whole town upside down looking for this young couple. But, no such luck! However, things change when a mystery writer, Sophie, moves into the neighborhood.
Well! Lisa Jewell has done it again. The strange house called the Dark Place…that is all it took to reel me in! Add in secret passages and the weird history and I was hooked. But! That is not all that makes this thriller amazing…these characters…wow! I swear, I wanted so badly to come through these pages and shake some sense into Tallulah. Then there is Zach! I wanted to beat his butt for they way he manipulated Tallulah.
But…the final straw was the twist at the end! Whoever reads a book and skips to the end….DON’T DO IT! It will ruin the whole book for you!
Need a weird and creepy thriller….YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS ONE! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion.
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gets.When she and Zach both disappear on the same evening and never return for their young child, Kim, Tallulah’s mother is distraught. Kim turns the whole town upside down looking for this young couple. But, no such luck! However, things change when a mystery writer, Sophie, moves into the neighborhood.
Well! Lisa Jewell has done it again. The strange house called the Dark Place…that is all it took to reel me in! Add in secret passages and the weird history and I was hooked. But! That is not all that makes this thriller amazing…these characters…wow! I swear, I wanted so badly to come through these pages and shake some sense into Tallulah. Then there is Zach! I wanted to beat his butt for they way he manipulated Tallulah.
But…the final straw was the twist at the end! Whoever reads a book and skips to the end….DON’T DO IT! It will ruin the whole book for you!
Need a weird and creepy thriller….YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS ONE! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion.
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LibraryThing member Twink
I've enjoyed all of Lisa Jewell's previous books, but her latest - The Night She Disappeared - is a new favorite!
Tallulah and her boyfriend Zack disappear one night without a trace. Tallulah's mother Kim knows her daughter would never abandon her wee son. But a year passes and the police are no
Jewell tells the tale in three timelines with multiple points of view. I was hooked as every chapter gives us more hints to the past, more information in the present and a cold inkling as to what might have transpired.
Jewel gives us well drawn protagonists in grieving parent Kim and amateur detective Sophie. These characters are imbued with personal storylines as well, quite believable in their relationships, doubts, loss and more. Jewell ekes out the story of Tallulah before she disappeared and the reader can see what's coming as her narrative progresses. (Don't peek ahead though! I wasn't entirely right in my guess) There are plenty of supporting characters and each and every one of them seems to have trouble with the truth. Who should we believe?
I really enjoyed Sophie's sleuthing skills. I always wanted to grow up and become Nancy Drew, so mysteries are favorite genre. And Jewell has written a great one - the plotting is excellent, the settings are atmospheric (love the creepy mansion in the woods) and the varying timelines and voices really worked for me. And kept me up late as I really needed to know what (or who) happened to Tallulah. A great page turner.
Tallulah and her boyfriend Zack disappear one night without a trace. Tallulah's mother Kim knows her daughter would never abandon her wee son. But a year passes and the police are no
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closer to an answer. That changes when a new headmaster and his girlfriend Sophie, a cozy mystery writer move into the village. When she finds a sign saying 'Dig Here" in her back garden, Sophie does. And the first clue to what might have happened is found...Jewell tells the tale in three timelines with multiple points of view. I was hooked as every chapter gives us more hints to the past, more information in the present and a cold inkling as to what might have transpired.
Jewel gives us well drawn protagonists in grieving parent Kim and amateur detective Sophie. These characters are imbued with personal storylines as well, quite believable in their relationships, doubts, loss and more. Jewell ekes out the story of Tallulah before she disappeared and the reader can see what's coming as her narrative progresses. (Don't peek ahead though! I wasn't entirely right in my guess) There are plenty of supporting characters and each and every one of them seems to have trouble with the truth. Who should we believe?
I really enjoyed Sophie's sleuthing skills. I always wanted to grow up and become Nancy Drew, so mysteries are favorite genre. And Jewell has written a great one - the plotting is excellent, the settings are atmospheric (love the creepy mansion in the woods) and the varying timelines and voices really worked for me. And kept me up late as I really needed to know what (or who) happened to Tallulah. A great page turner.
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LibraryThing member brangwinn
True to what we’ve seen from Lisa Unger before, she’s able to create mood and tenseness in this new book about a young woman and her boyfriend who disappear and leave the grandmother caring for their baby son. Tallulah and her boyfriend live with Tallulah’s mother in an English village.
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Tallulah’s strange, wealthy friend is involved, but it takes not only the policework but the sleuthing of Tallulah’s mother and a new resident, a mystery writer, to discover the truth, which is going to be a totally unexpected ending. Show Less
LibraryThing member ecataldi
A thriller that kept me guessing till the very end. Very twisty, dark, and unsettling. Sophie and her boyfriend move into the headmasters cottage at a boarding school where he just landed a job, and things are off on a great start. There is one weird thing though - a small sign with an arrow
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pointing in the dirt that says "dig here." When Sophie finally caves and digs it up - what she found is linked to a bizarre missing person case from one year prior. Nineteen year old Tallulah and her boyfriend went to the pub and then a friend's house and were never seen again. Her mother knows they would never run off - they have a baby at home, a baby they love! Told in alternating timelines - one from the year leading up to the disappearance and the other a year after the disappearance. So many dropped tid bits will have readers leaning one way and then the other. Impossible to put down! Show Less
LibraryThing member starlight-glimmer
I like Lisa Jewell's books but I notice that there's something vaguely depressing (to me) about the stories, or maybe the setting. There's kind of a stuck-ness that people struggle to overcome, and it doesn't usually lead them to the best places. That's definitely the case here with a teenage mom
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and her controlling boyfriend in one storyline, and a restless mystery writer feeling bored with her new rural surroundings in the other. Jewell does bring the 2 together, but I would preferred a book focused on either one or the other. I definitely would have enjoyed a closer examination of the relationships between Tallulah and Scarlett. More of a dark academia storyline for Sophie also could have worked well. So for me this was entertaining but not a must-read. Show Less
LibraryThing member librarygeek33
Joanne Froggatt (of Downton Abbey fame) was perfect for reading this book and Lisa Jewell is so good! If I had ambitions of being a mystery author, I would study this book for the way she arcs the suspense and keeps the reader guessing and wanting more. As a reader, I found myself at the end
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wanting to go back and reread certain parts to see details that I hadn't quite picked up on the first time around. Show Less
LibraryThing member DrApple
This is an extra twisty story about a teenage mother and her boyfriend who disappear one night, leaving their infant son with her mother. A mystery author who moves to the community gets drawn into the mystery.
LibraryThing member DocWalt10
The first book I have read by this author. I have been reading two other books at the same time. I really enjoyed it.
LibraryThing member nyiper
I really love the way Jewell writes but I must admit....this book was a little tough to wade through--partly because I had to keep looking back at the time line in previous chapters and I almost missed the last chapter timing which would have had me totally confused. I'm not sure where the book
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could have been shortened because it did seem to go on and on but then again, there were several points of view being followed at different times. This would have been a terrible book to try and read as an ebook---fair warning!!! I'm sure, because Jewell wrote this during the pandemic, she will hopefully have a much easier time with her next book when she can return to her favorite writing spots...coffee shops and her kitchen table!! Show Less
LibraryThing member rmarcin
When Tallulah and her boyfriend Zach don't return home from a party, Tallulah's mother is convinced that something is wrong. She contacts Tallulah's friends and the police to try to determine what happened. She knows that Tallulah wouldn't have abandoned her baby son, Noah. She contacts Scarlett,
Meanwhile, Sophie, a crime novelist, has moved into town with Shaun, who has a new teaching assignment. As Sophie is walking in the woods, she sees a sign "Dig Here" which intrigues her. As she tries to unravel the secrets hidden, she befriends someone who knew Scarlett.
The novel touches upon how someone can easily be influenced by another and change their whole outlook on life due to this influence. Of course, as in all Jewell's books, there is a sinister undertone.
Always a good mystery from Lisa Jewell.
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who hosted Tallulah and Zach at her house, saying they left at 3 am.Meanwhile, Sophie, a crime novelist, has moved into town with Shaun, who has a new teaching assignment. As Sophie is walking in the woods, she sees a sign "Dig Here" which intrigues her. As she tries to unravel the secrets hidden, she befriends someone who knew Scarlett.
The novel touches upon how someone can easily be influenced by another and change their whole outlook on life due to this influence. Of course, as in all Jewell's books, there is a sinister undertone.
Always a good mystery from Lisa Jewell.
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LibraryThing member SheriAWilkinson
In an English Suburb, near the edge of the woods stands a large country Estate. Tallulah, a young mother goes missing, after partying with college friends. Her Mother Kim, never gives up hope, as she cares for her young grandson. An Author (Sophie) begins to investigate when she see an ominous sign
A fascinating thriller that moves at a steady pace. Told in three voices from; Tallulah, Kim and Sophie (also) alternating years, 2017 the year of her disappearance and 2018, present time. With attention to detail, engaging prose and interesting characters, I was hooked from the first page until the end. Overall I found The Night She Disappeared enjoyable and recommend to those who like a great physiological thriller.
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saying 'dig here'. She ponders this clue and wonders if it is connected to the missing woman. She will not stop until she gets answers.A fascinating thriller that moves at a steady pace. Told in three voices from; Tallulah, Kim and Sophie (also) alternating years, 2017 the year of her disappearance and 2018, present time. With attention to detail, engaging prose and interesting characters, I was hooked from the first page until the end. Overall I found The Night She Disappeared enjoyable and recommend to those who like a great physiological thriller.
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LibraryThing member suzanne5002
I was disappointed in this book. I knew who the culprit was halfway through the book. The author could shortened the book about a 150-200 pages. I skimmed alot; only reading the dialogue. I took me a week, That's how bored I was with book. I read Then She Was gone and felt the same way.
I think Lisa
I think Lisa
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Jewell is not the author me. Show Less
LibraryThing member Baochuan
This book is on a slower path side at the beginning, but the characters are well developed and described but not really likable one way or the other. The story line revolved around Tallulah, her clingy (borderline abusive) boyfriend, Zach, and Tallulah’s new girlfriend, Scarlett, along with the
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entourage of Scarlett. The story line is OK, I am not WOW. Show Less
LibraryThing member Romonko
This is only my second Lisa Jewell book. Previously, I read The House We Grew Up In, and I enjoyed that book. As I am very picky with the thrillers that I choose to read, I haven't tried another until now. I listened to the book on audio, and I thought that would increase the tension, and the pace.
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Unfortunately, it didn't do that. I found the book slow and ponderous, and there was not much suspense or tension involved. It's an age-old storyline, which I think Lisa Jewell tried to bring a new twist to. The addition of cell phones and texting to the tired storyline added a little more immediacy as to the how quickly the story unfolded, but I still found it slow. It felt like I had read or listened to the book before as I listened because I just knew what was going to happen next. As with all thrillers that I review, I will not go into the story with this review so as not to spoil it for someone else. I will say though that the characters were typecast and very familiar as well. Needless to say, I won't be reading another Lisa Jewell book. I'm sure there are many readers that enjoy Ms. Jewell's writing, but I cannot recommend this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member henrog
Tallulah and Zach disappear one summer night. the mystery is what happened to them. Her mother does not give up looking for them. It is a tale of mystery and suspense that keeps the reader on the edge of his/her seat.
LibraryThing member MM_Jones
Another twisting plot from Lisa Jewell. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the light would shift for another reveal. Not perfect, but a great tale of love and loss.
LibraryThing member ASKelmore
Best for:
People who enjoy thrillers. Not for people who are triggered by discussions of abusive partners.
In a nutshell:
Tallulah is 19 and lives with her mother, 1 year-old-son, and her boyfriend Zach. One night, Tallulah and Zach go missing, and the people they were with ostensibly didn’t know
Worth quoting:
N/A - Audio book
Why I chose it:
I enjoyed her other books I read this year.
What it left me feeling:
Satisfied and surprised.
Review:
CN: Intimate partner abuse
This was a great book, helped along by the voice acting in the version I listened to - narrated by Joanne Froggatt. Considering there were at least a half dozen women’s voices she had to do, she managed to make them so distinct that I could easily follow what was going on.
The plot itself is once again a back and forth in time. We keep moving from the disappearance (June 2017), forward to the investigation as it is reopened in August / September 2018, then back to the 2016/2017 academic year to help us understand more of the situation. But the basics are: Tallulah is a young mother who, in 2017, had only reunited with her son’s father about nine months prior. She is someone who keeps to herself, focusing on school and her child.
Scarlett is someone who Tallulah perhaps knew? Perhaps not? The story unfolds but Scarlett is the home that Tallulah and Zach are last seen at before they disappear. Zach is also seen as a doting father and boyfriend, but its possible that isn’t the case.
Kim is Tallulah’s mother, who is now caring for her son and desperate to figure out what has happened. And Sophie is the partner of the new headmaster of the school Tallulah and Scarlett attend, and also happens to be the author of many detective novels.
As with the other books I’ve read by this author, I could possibly see some of the twists coming, but nothing was so foreshadowed that it was obvious. And once again, the epilogue brought resolution to a side storyline that I didn’t know I needed resolution to, and was a disturbing little addition that I appreciated.
As an aside - Jewell is really good at writing creepy men. Sometimes they are outright violent, sometimes it’s more emotional, but I could see this book being triggering for anyone who has been manipulated and abused by a partner.
Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Recommend to a friend
People who enjoy thrillers. Not for people who are triggered by discussions of abusive partners.
In a nutshell:
Tallulah is 19 and lives with her mother, 1 year-old-son, and her boyfriend Zach. One night, Tallulah and Zach go missing, and the people they were with ostensibly didn’t know
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them very well. Tallulah’s mother Kim tries to figure what has happened, and is helped when new clues appear a year later.Worth quoting:
N/A - Audio book
Why I chose it:
I enjoyed her other books I read this year.
What it left me feeling:
Satisfied and surprised.
Review:
CN: Intimate partner abuse
This was a great book, helped along by the voice acting in the version I listened to - narrated by Joanne Froggatt. Considering there were at least a half dozen women’s voices she had to do, she managed to make them so distinct that I could easily follow what was going on.
The plot itself is once again a back and forth in time. We keep moving from the disappearance (June 2017), forward to the investigation as it is reopened in August / September 2018, then back to the 2016/2017 academic year to help us understand more of the situation. But the basics are: Tallulah is a young mother who, in 2017, had only reunited with her son’s father about nine months prior. She is someone who keeps to herself, focusing on school and her child.
Scarlett is someone who Tallulah perhaps knew? Perhaps not? The story unfolds but Scarlett is the home that Tallulah and Zach are last seen at before they disappear. Zach is also seen as a doting father and boyfriend, but its possible that isn’t the case.
Kim is Tallulah’s mother, who is now caring for her son and desperate to figure out what has happened. And Sophie is the partner of the new headmaster of the school Tallulah and Scarlett attend, and also happens to be the author of many detective novels.
As with the other books I’ve read by this author, I could possibly see some of the twists coming, but nothing was so foreshadowed that it was obvious. And once again, the epilogue brought resolution to a side storyline that I didn’t know I needed resolution to, and was a disturbing little addition that I appreciated.
As an aside - Jewell is really good at writing creepy men. Sometimes they are outright violent, sometimes it’s more emotional, but I could see this book being triggering for anyone who has been manipulated and abused by a partner.
Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Recommend to a friend
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LibraryThing member GeauxGetLit
Lisa Jewell is one of my most coveted authors for good reason! She can spin a great story no matter what genre.
This was told from multiple povs and multiple timelines, which sometimes I struggle with these keeping my focus. This book held my attention and the characters were brought to light.
I
I’m giving this 4.5 stars
This was told from multiple povs and multiple timelines, which sometimes I struggle with these keeping my focus. This book held my attention and the characters were brought to light.
I
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loved Sophie the amateur sleuth, whom is also a cozy mystery author! Well done!I’m giving this 4.5 stars
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LibraryThing member srms.reads
4.5 ⭐ Could not put it down ! Probably Lisa Jewell's best to date .
LibraryThing member Enid007
I really enjoyed this book, it meant all the correct thriller book moments that it needed to hit. Highly recommend if you like a nice fast paced thriller.
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Thriller/Suspense — 2022)
British Book Award (Shortlist — 2022)
Indie Next List (September 2021)
Original language
English
Original publication date
2022
Physical description
9 inches
ISBN
1982137363 / 9781982137366