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C. (Comment, never msg).'s Reviews > The Night She Disappeared: A Novel
The Night She Disappeared: A Novel
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My jam is pure clue-solving: no crime or negativity, just the exhilaration of locating hidden chambers and other secrets. In November, my friend was passionate about a new release that checked some favourite boxes. She surprised me with it for my birthday! I dug in as soon as I finished what I had been reading. You were right, Lindsay! I loved “The Night She Disappeared” by Lisa Jewell. This also gifted me with a rare treat for a used buyer: reading a new novel in its début year of 2021!
Two timelines differing by a year connect us with three protagonists. I savoured several angles that are unusual for thrillers. No one is stalked or plagued by an unknown menace. Readers can relax and rally for Tallulah, a teenager who knows what she wants: to be a great Mom, Daughter, and student but never to marry her Son’s live-in Dad. On an outing to keep the peace, she & Zach disappear. We check in with Tallulah but this story is mainly propelled by her worried Mom, Kim and a new school matron and mystery authoress, Sophie, picking up clues. I enjoyed the compassionate sleuthing of these two women, ratcheted higher by the desperate emotions, pace, and concussive twists of a thriller. I see why Lindsay wanted to know what I would make of this.
I easily bestowed four stars, with my critical “private eye”. It must be said: who includes a secret tunnel that neither victim nor sleuths explore!? It should be a dramatic moment, not storage space! Most glaringly, a helpful feature would have been obvious by walking to the end. Would you sit in a tunnel without exploring it? Finally, I always find present tense narration jarring. However, the love of friends and Mothers made this novel compelling.
Two timelines differing by a year connect us with three protagonists. I savoured several angles that are unusual for thrillers. No one is stalked or plagued by an unknown menace. Readers can relax and rally for Tallulah, a teenager who knows what she wants: to be a great Mom, Daughter, and student but never to marry her Son’s live-in Dad. On an outing to keep the peace, she & Zach disappear. We check in with Tallulah but this story is mainly propelled by her worried Mom, Kim and a new school matron and mystery authoress, Sophie, picking up clues. I enjoyed the compassionate sleuthing of these two women, ratcheted higher by the desperate emotions, pace, and concussive twists of a thriller. I see why Lindsay wanted to know what I would make of this.
I easily bestowed four stars, with my critical “private eye”. It must be said: who includes a secret tunnel that neither victim nor sleuths explore!? It should be a dramatic moment, not storage space! Most glaringly, a helpful feature would have been obvious by walking to the end. Would you sit in a tunnel without exploring it? Finally, I always find present tense narration jarring. However, the love of friends and Mothers made this novel compelling.
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Reading Progress
December 1, 2021
–
Started Reading
December 1, 2021
– Shelved
December 1, 2021
– Shelved as:
riedel-titles-2021
December 1, 2021
– Shelved as:
to-read
December 2, 2021
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7.46%
"I am starting out and don't doubt that this is going to be a suspenseful fictional trip and thank the Lord for that. One initial critique is that I and most people I know of, loathe the present tense. It is so jarringly not the way stories are normally told, it takes me out of enjoying the narration completely. Stories should be written in the past tense, whether the first or third person are being narrated."
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30
December 4, 2021
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72.14%
"I am zooming towards the answers of this story rapidly now. I wish authors would not use the present tense and I am tired of certain nations calling everything about a front or back yard "a garden". The garden is the soil where plants grow; not a word for everyplace with grass. "Crisps" and "trainers" also throws you off. In North America we say "a bag of chips" and "runners". However, this story is compelling."
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290
December 4, 2021
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Finished Reading
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Cheryl (Takin' It Easy This Year!)
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Jan 09, 2022 07:22PM
Wonderful review Carolyn! And so great that you were able to read a book that was your "jam". It must be hard to find clue solving books that are not crime related.
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It is nice to meet you, Dale and receive your kind note.
Hi Cheryl! My favourites aren't always recognized as mystery. Kate Morton gets called "historical fiction" and Robin Sloan's pure mystery questing has been called "fantasy". Katherine Neville, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Simone St. James, and Lyn Hamilton have great examples, like "The Celtic Riddle". If there are crimes but the focus is on mysteriousness like Amanda Stevens, Sarah Rayne, and Maureen Johnson - I love it.
Great review, Carolyn. This one is on my TBR so I'm happy to see your 4 stars. I'm glad this one was in your wheelhouse.
🌺 I am glad you found my review today, Swaroop. I have about 20 to catch-up on for the year 2021.
It dipped a solid foot in my wheelhouse, Pam, which is an easy way to branch out into scarier genres than "standard mystery". The pace is faster than I am used to but that is an invigorating change.
Carolyn!!! I’m soooooo happy you enjoyed this so much!! What a fantastic review!! I am thrilled that this worked out so well for you! I’m excited that you now have connected with (and enjoyed) Lisa Jewell’s writing and can keep your eye out for her backlist books. 💛💜💕
Great review Carolyn!
Fantastic and interesting review Carolyn! :)
Happy new year, Holly! It is nice to have a visit from you! For once, I have read the same popular new book that all the other kids in the neighbourhood did. :)
Sandra, I am so pleased to agree with the mainstream on this one. How wonderful to find the pace of a thriller without the added discomfort of danger for the protagonists. This struck the right balance for me.
Lindsay, it is my honour to tell you I love your gift and thank you personally as well as publically as I have. I felt like you took me by the hand and led me to the shallow end of that pretty pool on the cover, to swim where the genre was warmer than usual.I thought Lisa's books were normally more stressful than this and wonder if the bizarre present tense narration reappears. If not, you bet that you have opened me up to reading more of her. With gratitude, your friend, Carolyn.
Great review dear Carolyn! My jam also is a pure clue-solving. I've never read Jewell but I know she is a popular writer of the genre, I will try one of her books next time I will be in the mood for a mystery.
Yay Lea! You love non-crime mysteries too? That is awesome! We should compare notes on them together. Your friend, Carolyn.
C. (friends, please call me by name) wrote: "Yay Lea! You love non-crime mysteries too? That is awesome! We should compare notes on them together. Your friend, Carolyn."Yes, definitely! But I like so many genres of books that I don't get to mysteries as often as I would like.
Same here. Plus our favourite niche hardly exists. This is so nice to share in common, Lea. Thank you for visiting some of my new reviews today.
I'm glad you enjoyed this, Carolyn! I have a couple of books by this author that I haven't gotten to yet, I this review has reminded me to get to one of them soon! :)
Fellow Canadian Lindsay urges me to read Lisa Jewell and treated me to this new paperback, because it is more mystery than thriller. I wonder if that means the rest of Lisa's books are more thriller. I think I recall that the more violent tone is not to your taste any more than mine. If I see them on sale, naturally I will honour Lindsay's suggestion and try another one. The present tense tone drives me nuts but I got around it in this great, emotional mystery about getting a Mother home to her toddler and Mom.
Terrific review Carolyn! I really liked this also. I waited too long to put up my review and now I’ll have to reread it if I want to do a decent one. 🤦♀️ But I don’t think I’ll mind this was really very good.
Great review :) I heard good things about Lisa jewel, I have a few books from her but I’ve only read the girls in the garden.
Oh, hi Colleen! Gosh, I wish for comments every time and do not appreciate the Goodreads system allowing me to miss one. This is how we long-distance pals and friends keep in touch and I value every time y'all reach out. Tell me how you are. You have had a variety of notes with your profile name. Carolyn.
Thank you, Hailey! I dislike 'thriller / horror', which Lisa Jewell usually does. That suits you. However, a fellow Canadian friend told me this is much more 'mystery' than her usual output and sent it to me as a gift. She is right: more mystery but pushing me a little into 'thriller' chase mode. Sincerely, Carolyn.
