Mystery
![Lisa Gardner - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B000APTQPU.jpg)
Before She Disappeared: A Novel (A Frankie Elkin Novel)
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner, a propulsive thriller featuring an ordinary woman who will stop at nothing to find the missing people that the rest of the world has forgotten
Frankie Elkin is an average middle-aged woman, a recovering alcoholic with more regrets than belongings. But she spends her life doing what no one else will--searching for missing people the world has stopped looking for. When the police have given up, when the public no longer remembers, when the media has never paid attention, Frankie starts looking.
A new case brings her to Mattapan, a Boston neighborhood with a rough reputation. She is searching for Angelique Badeau, a Haitian teenager who vanished from her high school months earlier. Resistance from the Boston PD and the victim's wary family tells Frankie she's on her own--and she soon learns she's asking questions someone doesn't want answered. But Frankie will stop at nothing to discover the truth, even if it means the next person to go missing could be her.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner, a propulsive thriller featuring an ordinary woman who will stop at nothing to find the missing people that the rest of the world has forgotten
Frankie Elkin is an average middle-aged woman, a recovering alcoholic with more regrets than belongings. But she spends her life doing what no one else will--searching for missing people the world has stopped looking for. When the police have given up, when the public no longer remembers, when the media has never paid attention, Frankie starts looking.
A new case brings her to Mattapan, a Boston neighborhood with a rough reputation. She is searching for Angelique Badeau, a Haitian teenager who vanished from her high school months earlier. Resistance from the Boston PD and the victim's wary family tells Frankie she's on her own--and she soon learns she's asking questions someone doesn't want answered. But Frankie will stop at nothing to discover the truth, even if it means the next person to go missing could be her.
Editorial Reviews
"In this rare standalone, the prolific Gardner has come up with one of the most original characters in recent crime fiction, a woman readers can care about even while not being entirely sure of what to make of her."--Washington Post
"This book, the best-selling author's first stand-alone novel in 20-years, is a sharply-written, tension-filled yarn full of twists readers are unlikely to see coming. The most compelling element, however, is the character of Frankie, a recovering alcoholic whose obsession with the missing is a penance of sorts for the burden of guilt and grief she carries over a past trauma that took the life of a man she loves."--Associated Press
Named one of 2021's Most Anticipated Books by "Good Morning America," PopSugar, Bookpage, CrimeReads, and Mystery Tribune
"A masterpiece of post-modern noir....A riveting stunner of a tale where the rare appearance of the sun shines down on what is certain to be one of the best thrillers of 2021."--Providence Journal
"[An] outstanding crime novel…. Gardner pulls no punches in this socially conscious standalone."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Fans of this incredible author, police procedurals, timely immigrant stories, strong determined women, and tales that are not tied up with a pretty bow at the end will not be able to get enough of this intense page-turner."--Library Journal (starred review)
"It's hard to tag just one stand-out element here, between the multidimensional portrayal of Mattapan's Haitian expat community, Frankie's humanizing demons and straightforward investigative technique, and a page-turning plot with all its ends tucked in unpredictably tight. Tense and immersive, Gardner's latest…is a sure bet both for readers drawn to gritty gumshoe fiction and for the growing legion of true- crime podcast fans."--Booklist (starred review)
"Gardner is a pro at writing tough-as-nails, wiseass, broken-yet-steely female characters, and Frankie does not disappoint…Fans of Gardner's Tessa Leoni, D.D. Warren, and Flora Dane will embrace her new heroine's grit and empathy."--Kirkus Reviews
"The pace of Before She Disappeared makes it a faster read than the number of pages would suggest. For me, it fell into 'couldn't put it down' territory, and of all Gardner's books that I've read, I think this was the best."--St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"Lisa Gardner delves deeply into her protagonist's psyche in this tough, street-level, socially conscious thriller."--Florida Times-Union
"Before She Disappeared introduces what may be the most powerful sleuth of the decade, an "ordinary" woman driven to uncov...
"This book, the best-selling author's first stand-alone novel in 20-years, is a sharply-written, tension-filled yarn full of twists readers are unlikely to see coming. The most compelling element, however, is the character of Frankie, a recovering alcoholic whose obsession with the missing is a penance of sorts for the burden of guilt and grief she carries over a past trauma that took the life of a man she loves."--Associated Press
Named one of 2021's Most Anticipated Books by "Good Morning America," PopSugar, Bookpage, CrimeReads, and Mystery Tribune
"A masterpiece of post-modern noir....A riveting stunner of a tale where the rare appearance of the sun shines down on what is certain to be one of the best thrillers of 2021."--Providence Journal
"[An] outstanding crime novel…. Gardner pulls no punches in this socially conscious standalone."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Fans of this incredible author, police procedurals, timely immigrant stories, strong determined women, and tales that are not tied up with a pretty bow at the end will not be able to get enough of this intense page-turner."--Library Journal (starred review)
"It's hard to tag just one stand-out element here, between the multidimensional portrayal of Mattapan's Haitian expat community, Frankie's humanizing demons and straightforward investigative technique, and a page-turning plot with all its ends tucked in unpredictably tight. Tense and immersive, Gardner's latest…is a sure bet both for readers drawn to gritty gumshoe fiction and for the growing legion of true- crime podcast fans."--Booklist (starred review)
"Gardner is a pro at writing tough-as-nails, wiseass, broken-yet-steely female characters, and Frankie does not disappoint…Fans of Gardner's Tessa Leoni, D.D. Warren, and Flora Dane will embrace her new heroine's grit and empathy."--Kirkus Reviews
"The pace of Before She Disappeared makes it a faster read than the number of pages would suggest. For me, it fell into 'couldn't put it down' territory, and of all Gardner's books that I've read, I think this was the best."--St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"Lisa Gardner delves deeply into her protagonist's psyche in this tough, street-level, socially conscious thriller."--Florida Times-Union
"Before She Disappeared introduces what may be the most powerful sleuth of the decade, an "ordinary" woman driven to uncov...
Readers Top Reviews
Booney
This was one of those books that was not riveting enough to keep you turning pages without your mind drifting on to other things unfortunately. Does anyone build relationships with strangers that quickly? I didn't really connect with the main character and the storyline was farfetched. An OK read at best.
SilviaAnnieLicketysp
I love all her books until this one. It didnt appeal to me this depressed lady that goes around looking to find missing persons.and the plot was not great all sad and boring. Dissapointed.not a bad read but not what i would expected from Lisa Gardner.
T. Wood
Frankie Elkin is a woman who travels light at least as far as possessions are concerned. The mental scars she carries guide her every waking moment, haunt her dreams each night and can only be temporarily warded off by her life's goal to find those the police have stopped searching for. Angelique Badeau was 15 when she disappeared without trace leaving only her backpack and bewildered family behind. Eleven months later the leads have dried up, time has moved on, and Frankie, arriving in the Boston neighbourhood of Mattapan, knows she is the Haitian teenager’s last hope. It's fair to say female, white, middle-aged, recovering alcoholics are not spotted that often in Mattapan but Frankie's used to being in the minority. Having found herself a job and somewhere to sleep she begins her task, but there are things happening which put all those involved in far greater danger than they can imagine and finding Angelique could be the least of their problems. Lisa Gardner is a first class thriller writer and this very good standalone novel is an excellent example of her craft. Frankie is likeable, believable and motivated. Gradually her back story is revealed and adds so much to her character. This isn't a fast moving story, it doesn't hurtle rather it evolves slowly until everything is satisfactorily dealt with. Both Frankie and the reluctantly helpful police detective Dan Lotham would definitely warrant another outing sometime in the future. I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I enjoyed this very much, it is a good read.
Steven MillerSusan V
For a time while reading this novel I excitingly thought I had lucked into something special in the mystery genre and would probably be writing a five star review. The book features a truly unique, interesting, fully imagined protagonist and first person narrator, some sharp, clever, believable dialog, trenchant, seemingly accurate descriptions of the Boston neighborhood setting, a reasonably plausible, mostly well-constructed plot (at least initially) and a mostly logical, authentic depiction of investigative techniques. However, for me, about two thirds of the way into the novel things began careening off the fictional tracks and ultimately derailed entirely. The resolution, the explanation of what happened to the victims was both tortuously complicated and ludicrously, laughably unbelievable and--even worse-- the book then concludes with some artificial, tacked on, terribly cliched, made for B-movie heroics by the principal character. Promising start but in the end very disappointing.
Coton-EnthusiastJLov
For me this book was a struggle. It was sad from every angle and then when there could have been a ray of hope, that too was tempered with sadness. I finished this book feeling sad and that’s not why I read.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter 1
The water feels like a cold caress against my face. I kick deeper down into the gloom, my long hair trailing behind me like a dark eel. I'm wearing clothes. Jeans, tennis shoes, a t-shirt topped with an open windbreaker that wings out and slows my descent. My clothing grows heavier and heavier till I can barely flutter my legs, work my arms.
Why am I in clothes?
Wet suit.
Oxygen tanks.
Thoughts drift through my mind but I can't quite grab them.
I must reach the bottom of the lake. Where the sunlight no longer penetrates and sinuous creatures lurk. I must find… I must do…
My lungs are now as heavy as my legs. A feeling of pressure builds in my chest.
An old Chevy truck. Dented, battered, with a cab roof sun-bleached the color of a barely lit sky.
This image appears in my mind and I seize it tightly. That's why I'm here, that's what I'm looking for. A sliver of silver in the lake's muck.
I started with sonar. Another random thought, but as I sink lower in the watery abyss, I can picture that, too. Me, piloting a small boat that I'd rented with my own money. Conducting long sweeps across the lake for two days straight, which was all I could afford, working a theory everyone else had dismissed. Until…
Where is my wet suit? My oxygen tank? Something's wrong. I need… I must…
I can't hold the thought. My lungs are burning. I feel them collapsing in my chest and the desire to inhale is overwhelming. A single gasp of dark, cloudy water. No longer fighting the lake, but becoming one with it. Then I won't have to swim anymore. I will plummet to the bottom, and if my theory is right, I will join my target as yet another lost soul never to be seen again.
Old truck. Cab roof sun-bleached the color of a barely lit sky. Remember. Focus. Find it.
Is that a glimpse of silver I see over there, partially hidden by a dense wall of waving grasses?
I try to head in that direction but get tangled in my flapping windbreaker. I pause, treading my legs frantically while trying to free my arms from my jacket's clinging grip.
Chest, constricting tighter.
Didn't I have an oxygen tank?
Wasn't I wearing a wet suit?
Something is so very wrong. I need to hold the thought, but the lake is winning and my chest hurts and my limbs have grown tired.
The water is soft against my cheek. It calls to me, and I feel myself answer.
My legs slow. My arms drift up. I succumb to the weight of my clothes, the lead in my chest. I start to sink faster. Down, down, down.
I close my eyes and let go.
Paul always said I fought too much. I made things too hard. Even his love for me. But of course, I didn't listen.
Now, a curious warmth fills my veins. The lake isn't dark and gloomy after all. It's a sanctuary, embracing me like a lover and promising to never let go.
Then…
Not a spot of silver. Not the roof of an old, battered truck that was already a hundred thousand miles beyond its best days. Instead, I spy a gouge of black appearing, then disappearing amid a field of murky green. I wait for the lake grasses to ripple left, then I see it ...
The water feels like a cold caress against my face. I kick deeper down into the gloom, my long hair trailing behind me like a dark eel. I'm wearing clothes. Jeans, tennis shoes, a t-shirt topped with an open windbreaker that wings out and slows my descent. My clothing grows heavier and heavier till I can barely flutter my legs, work my arms.
Why am I in clothes?
Wet suit.
Oxygen tanks.
Thoughts drift through my mind but I can't quite grab them.
I must reach the bottom of the lake. Where the sunlight no longer penetrates and sinuous creatures lurk. I must find… I must do…
My lungs are now as heavy as my legs. A feeling of pressure builds in my chest.
An old Chevy truck. Dented, battered, with a cab roof sun-bleached the color of a barely lit sky.
This image appears in my mind and I seize it tightly. That's why I'm here, that's what I'm looking for. A sliver of silver in the lake's muck.
I started with sonar. Another random thought, but as I sink lower in the watery abyss, I can picture that, too. Me, piloting a small boat that I'd rented with my own money. Conducting long sweeps across the lake for two days straight, which was all I could afford, working a theory everyone else had dismissed. Until…
Where is my wet suit? My oxygen tank? Something's wrong. I need… I must…
I can't hold the thought. My lungs are burning. I feel them collapsing in my chest and the desire to inhale is overwhelming. A single gasp of dark, cloudy water. No longer fighting the lake, but becoming one with it. Then I won't have to swim anymore. I will plummet to the bottom, and if my theory is right, I will join my target as yet another lost soul never to be seen again.
Old truck. Cab roof sun-bleached the color of a barely lit sky. Remember. Focus. Find it.
Is that a glimpse of silver I see over there, partially hidden by a dense wall of waving grasses?
I try to head in that direction but get tangled in my flapping windbreaker. I pause, treading my legs frantically while trying to free my arms from my jacket's clinging grip.
Chest, constricting tighter.
Didn't I have an oxygen tank?
Wasn't I wearing a wet suit?
Something is so very wrong. I need to hold the thought, but the lake is winning and my chest hurts and my limbs have grown tired.
The water is soft against my cheek. It calls to me, and I feel myself answer.
My legs slow. My arms drift up. I succumb to the weight of my clothes, the lead in my chest. I start to sink faster. Down, down, down.
I close my eyes and let go.
Paul always said I fought too much. I made things too hard. Even his love for me. But of course, I didn't listen.
Now, a curious warmth fills my veins. The lake isn't dark and gloomy after all. It's a sanctuary, embracing me like a lover and promising to never let go.
Then…
Not a spot of silver. Not the roof of an old, battered truck that was already a hundred thousand miles beyond its best days. Instead, I spy a gouge of black appearing, then disappearing amid a field of murky green. I wait for the lake grasses to ripple left, then I see it ...
