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Grace is Gone
Intriguing characters and a storyline that suddenly throws everything in the air, I was completely hooked by this book - Heidi Perks
Grips to the very last page - a tense, twisted tale in which nothing is quite as it seems - T.M. Logan
Cleverly written and full of twists and turns - Jenny Quintana
Chilling and compassionate in equal measure, Grace is Gone is an emotionally-charged thriller that kept me reading long into the night . While undoubtedly a superior suspense novel, Elgar also excels in laying bare the often fragile bonds of supposedly close-knit communities. When the ending comes, be prepared to pick your jaw up off the floor - Caz Frear
Emily Elgar's latest psychological thriller takes dark twists and turns before arriving at a suitably unsettling conclusion - Woman & Home
Full of intrigue, suspense and rising tension . A beautifully written, gripping, suspenseful read - Karen Hamilton
What a book! A twisted story with such well-drawn characters . I grabbed every spare minute to finish it - Jo Jakeman
Enthralling . . . Twists and turns keep the reader guessing up to the satisfying ending . Along the way, Elgar wrestles with some engrossing ethical questions that will keep readers thinking long after they reach the end of the book - Publishers Weekly
I was completely gripped, horrified, nervous, suspicious . . . I think I felt ALL of the emotions while reading it. - Elle Croft, author of THE GUILTY WIFE
Twisted thriller - Woman & Home
This will haunt you long after you have finished the final page - Crime Monthly
Grips to the very last page - a tense, twisted tale in which nothing is quite as it seems - T.M. Logan
Cleverly written and full of twists and turns - Jenny Quintana
Chilling and compassionate in equal measure, Grace is Gone is an emotionally-charged thriller that kept me reading long into the night . While undoubtedly a superior suspense novel, Elgar also excels in laying bare the often fragile bonds of supposedly close-knit communities. When the ending comes, be prepared to pick your jaw up off the floor - Caz Frear
Emily Elgar's latest psychological thriller takes dark twists and turns before arriving at a suitably unsettling conclusion - Woman & Home
Full of intrigue, suspense and rising tension . A beautifully written, gripping, suspenseful read - Karen Hamilton
What a book! A twisted story with such well-drawn characters . I grabbed every spare minute to finish it - Jo Jakeman
Enthralling . . . Twists and turns keep the reader guessing up to the satisfying ending . Along the way, Elgar wrestles with some engrossing ethical questions that will keep readers thinking long after they reach the end of the book - Publishers Weekly
I was completely gripped, horrified, nervous, suspicious . . . I think I felt ALL of the emotions while reading it. - Elle Croft, author of THE GUILTY WIFE
Twisted thriller - Woman & Home
This will haunt you long after you have finished the final page - Crime Monthly
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
211 people are currently reading
5975 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 463 reviews
February 11, 2020
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
A gripping and addictive read!!
Cara Dorman knocks on the door of 52 Woodgreen Avenue. Her mother asked her to drop off some donated clothing to their friends and neighbors, Meg and Grace. Cara is about five years older than Grace. They were very close when they were younger, but lately, Cara doesn’t always know how to talk to Grace. Grace is very ill and is confined to a wheelchair. Cara feels guilty when she talks about her own busy life because Grace’s life is so limited.
No one answers the door so Cara knocks again.
Meg and Grace are ALWAYS home. Why aren’t they answering the door?
Cara tries the door and finds it's unlocked. She makes her way through the house. It's completely clean and so very quiet. She sees Grace's empty wheelchair tipped over on its side. When she gets to Meg's bedroom, she opens the door and makes a horrifying discovery.
Investigative Journalist, Jon's career was ruined after he wrote a story about Meg and Grace Nichols. After hearing the terrible news his first instinct is to head over to the house on Woodgreen Ave, but he knows he should steer clear. The last time he was there it didn't end well. He decides that he'll just drive past the house. He won't even get out of the car.
Where is Grace?
The community that loves Megan and Grace is grieving and very worried about Grace. Cara is traumatized but she really wants to know where Grace is. When she was in the house she found something. Now she's not sure what to do with it. Should she give what she found to the police or use it to do some investigating of her own? Maybe, Jon the journalist, can help her?
I couldn’t wait to read this book!
This novel is inspired by real-life events, but it still has many differences and tells its own story.
Once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop. I was pulled in right from the start and found it easy to keep up. The story is told from multiple perspectives and I had no issues keeping the characters and their individual stories straight.
As I neared the end it was even harder to stop reading. Although I did see a few things coming, I flew through the last few chapters and was surprised by the twisted ending!
All in all, this was a gripping and entertaining read about family, love, redemption, and justice.
I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
January 24, 2020
3.75*
Grace has been quite ill most of her life. Heart problems…seizures, among countless other ailments. Her dear mother Meg has been raising Grace on her own. Over the years they’ve become the darlings of their community and blessed with all the support that comes with it! In return, they have gratefully given back equally to the towns people.
So when Meg is found brutally murdered and Grace is nowhere to be found, everyone comes together to find Grace and get some justice for poor Meg!
A solid mystery, this was my first by Emily Elgar and I was all in, engaged throughout! The pace moved the story-line along at the perfect speed.
But...I wanted some surprises! I had most of the story-line figured out early on.
I also learned this book was based on an actual event. Hmmmm... Now that I’ve finished the book I’ll be heading over to Google the real story!
Overall it was an enjoyable read that I would recommend, and I’ll be reading more from this author in the future.
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for an ARC to read and review.
Grace has been quite ill most of her life. Heart problems…seizures, among countless other ailments. Her dear mother Meg has been raising Grace on her own. Over the years they’ve become the darlings of their community and blessed with all the support that comes with it! In return, they have gratefully given back equally to the towns people.
So when Meg is found brutally murdered and Grace is nowhere to be found, everyone comes together to find Grace and get some justice for poor Meg!
A solid mystery, this was my first by Emily Elgar and I was all in, engaged throughout! The pace moved the story-line along at the perfect speed.
But...I wanted some surprises! I had most of the story-line figured out early on.
I also learned this book was based on an actual event. Hmmmm... Now that I’ve finished the book I’ll be heading over to Google the real story!
Overall it was an enjoyable read that I would recommend, and I’ll be reading more from this author in the future.
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for an ARC to read and review.
March 8, 2020
Do you love small town mysteries? I dooooo! Especially when they involve a small town in England. That just adds to the charm of it all. In Grace Is Gone, a well-loved family is attacked- the mother murdered, and the daughter has disappeared.
Meg, the mother, had escaped her abusive ex once before when he kidnapped their daughter, Grace. This time, it seems he may have returned and exacted revenge.
There are multiple viewpoints, and I loved the use of the diary entries. Grace and Meg were such great characters, especially Grace. She had a vulnerability and strength about her that inspired me. The pacing was strong with easy-flowing writing. It intrigued me all the more that the story was based on true events. Overall, I found it compulsively readable, and I definitely recommend it.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Meg, the mother, had escaped her abusive ex once before when he kidnapped their daughter, Grace. This time, it seems he may have returned and exacted revenge.
There are multiple viewpoints, and I loved the use of the diary entries. Grace and Meg were such great characters, especially Grace. She had a vulnerability and strength about her that inspired me. The pacing was strong with easy-flowing writing. It intrigued me all the more that the story was based on true events. Overall, I found it compulsively readable, and I definitely recommend it.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
December 7, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Grace Is Gone by Emily Elgar is inspired by a true story that I immediately recognized (I will try not to give it away in my review), and I really enjoyed Elgar's take on it right down to the last crazy chapter.
I loved Elgar's writing style, and I thought Grace Is Gone flowed really well. At times it was downright chilling, and towards the end I actually started to HAVE chills down my back. Even though I know the story it was based on well, I wasn't expecting some things that happened in this book. I am so glad the author changed it enough that it made the book both even creepier and more interesting, and not like I was reading an exact replica of the story it is based on.
This was my first read by Elgar and I know I am going to want to read everything she writes now. Grace Is Gone is only her second novel, but from the way it reads it could have been her 10th. I loved the way the story of Grace is brought to life, and I really enjoyed the 2 viewpoints plus diary entries. As more and more start to be revealed it kept up the suspense for me, and I liked getting to know the different characters.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Eyes on Me by Desi Valentine
Final Thought: I found myself not wanting to put Grace Is Gone down, and I would consider it quite the page turner. I think a lot of people will be able to read this in one sitting, and I definitely would have if I'd had the time. This book touches on mental disorders in a way that at times almost had me tearing up, and I think this is an excellently written novel that deserves to be read.
Grace Is Gone by Emily Elgar is inspired by a true story that I immediately recognized (I will try not to give it away in my review), and I really enjoyed Elgar's take on it right down to the last crazy chapter.
I loved Elgar's writing style, and I thought Grace Is Gone flowed really well. At times it was downright chilling, and towards the end I actually started to HAVE chills down my back. Even though I know the story it was based on well, I wasn't expecting some things that happened in this book. I am so glad the author changed it enough that it made the book both even creepier and more interesting, and not like I was reading an exact replica of the story it is based on.
This was my first read by Elgar and I know I am going to want to read everything she writes now. Grace Is Gone is only her second novel, but from the way it reads it could have been her 10th. I loved the way the story of Grace is brought to life, and I really enjoyed the 2 viewpoints plus diary entries. As more and more start to be revealed it kept up the suspense for me, and I liked getting to know the different characters.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Eyes on Me by Desi Valentine
Final Thought: I found myself not wanting to put Grace Is Gone down, and I would consider it quite the page turner. I think a lot of people will be able to read this in one sitting, and I definitely would have if I'd had the time. This book touches on mental disorders in a way that at times almost had me tearing up, and I think this is an excellently written novel that deserves to be read.
February 20, 2020
This ook is based on a true story. Grace is seventeen years old. She's dependent on her mother, Megan as she has several health issues. Megan has suffered abuse from her husband. Megan decides to take Grace and start a new life together. Their neighbour, Cara crops round to drop something off and discovers Megan, who's been brutally murdered. Grace is missing. Caras partner, Jon is a journalist. He goes to the scene even though theres an order preventing him from doing so.
What an intriguing read this book was. I hadn't heard of the case that this story is based on. Its told mainly by Cara and Jon's point of view though we do get entries from Grace in the form of diary. The book is well written. My first book by the author but it wont be my last.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group UK and the author Emily Elgar for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What an intriguing read this book was. I hadn't heard of the case that this story is based on. Its told mainly by Cara and Jon's point of view though we do get entries from Grace in the form of diary. The book is well written. My first book by the author but it wont be my last.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group UK and the author Emily Elgar for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 28, 2020
Grace Is Gone is inspired by a true story - what the? This is a sick and shocking story and to think that this actually did happen is terrifying. Exploring some deep themes, this was a quick, page turner of a book that I couldn't wait to see how it was going to end.
Meg and her daughter Grace are well loved and known in the community. So who would murder Meg? Next door neighbour and Grace's friend Cara finds Meg, brutally murdered - and Grace is nowhere to be seen. Grace is very ill and in a wheelchair, and without her medications she could die in days. But where is she? Who has taken her and why? The community work together to try to find the teenager. Cara teams up with Jon, a journalist to dig into Meg and Graces lives to find the clues to what has happened. The fin al few chapters are nuts! And it was great.
Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
Meg and her daughter Grace are well loved and known in the community. So who would murder Meg? Next door neighbour and Grace's friend Cara finds Meg, brutally murdered - and Grace is nowhere to be seen. Grace is very ill and in a wheelchair, and without her medications she could die in days. But where is she? Who has taken her and why? The community work together to try to find the teenager. Cara teams up with Jon, a journalist to dig into Meg and Graces lives to find the clues to what has happened. The fin al few chapters are nuts! And it was great.
Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
October 31, 2019
GRACE IS GONE is a novel concerning Meg and her daughter Grace. Meg is the caregiver for Grace who is severely disabled. Meg and Grace are beloved by their town. When Meg is murdered in a horrendous manner, and Grace is kidnapped, a journalist and a female neighbor begin to search for Grace which leads to many questions. The end result is rather horrifying and left me with some deep thinking. This is a very readable book, and I highly recommend it.
October 25, 2020
2.5 rounded to 3 stars.
Spoiler alert: I confess that I have never heard of Dee Dee Blanchard and Gypsy Rose. I had no idea this book was inspired on real facts.
I can hardly imagine that kind of abuse.
Anyways, this book is not bad, just a bit uninteresting and slow. The writing is a bit repetitive.
The story is so unbelievable but, the way it is developed here, it did not cause any impact. And that’s exactly what I missed here.
There are some good moments.
The best parts are the young girl’s diary, which shows great connection with some of the characters but gives away her state of mind.
But what is real and what is fake?
While reading the diary is easy to realize that there is something wrong somewhere.
This is a fast read.
Unfortunately I was not impressed.
Edited on October 25, 2020 (spelling and grammar corrections!).
Spoiler alert: I confess that I have never heard of Dee Dee Blanchard and Gypsy Rose. I had no idea this book was inspired on real facts.
I can hardly imagine that kind of abuse.
Anyways, this book is not bad, just a bit uninteresting and slow. The writing is a bit repetitive.
The story is so unbelievable but, the way it is developed here, it did not cause any impact. And that’s exactly what I missed here.
There are some good moments.
The best parts are the young girl’s diary, which shows great connection with some of the characters but gives away her state of mind.
But what is real and what is fake?
While reading the diary is easy to realize that there is something wrong somewhere.
This is a fast read.
Unfortunately I was not impressed.
Edited on October 25, 2020 (spelling and grammar corrections!).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2020
This book is based on a true story. Grace is seventeen years old. She's dependent on her mother, Megan as she has several health issues. Megan has suffered a use from her husband. Megan decides to take Grace and start a new life together. Their neighbour, Cara pops round to drop something off and discovers Megan who's been brutally murdered. Grace is missing. Cara's partner Jon is a journalist. He goes to the scene even though theres an order preventing ting him from doing so.
What an intriguing read this ook was. I was hooked from reading the blurb. I hadn't heard of the case that this story was based on. It's told mainly from cara and Jon's point of view though we do get entries from Grace in the form of a diary. The book is well written. My first read by the author but it won't be my last.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Little Brown Book GROUP UK and the author Emily Elgar for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What an intriguing read this ook was. I was hooked from reading the blurb. I hadn't heard of the case that this story was based on. It's told mainly from cara and Jon's point of view though we do get entries from Grace in the form of a diary. The book is well written. My first read by the author but it won't be my last.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Little Brown Book GROUP UK and the author Emily Elgar for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2019
I won this via goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own.
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Great characters, good story. I liked Jon more than Cara but both POVs kept my attention and it wasn't jarring or boring going back and forth throughout.
I figured out one of the plot elements and was reminded early on if another case I saw on DatelineOnID (I think) some time ago. *I won't spoil it for you but the author mentions it after the story is done* A couple things I didn't expect and while not completely knew, was done very well.
Not much to say here, not because I didn't like it but that was just it for me. *shrugs* I'll probably think of it on and off down the road and recommend it to others for a rainy/sick day read.
This is one I won't be reading again but I did enjoy the journey. This would work well as a film in my opinion.
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Great characters, good story. I liked Jon more than Cara but both POVs kept my attention and it wasn't jarring or boring going back and forth throughout.
I figured out one of the plot elements and was reminded early on if another case I saw on DatelineOnID (I think) some time ago. *I won't spoil it for you but the author mentions it after the story is done* A couple things I didn't expect and while not completely knew, was done very well.
Not much to say here, not because I didn't like it but that was just it for me. *shrugs* I'll probably think of it on and off down the road and recommend it to others for a rainy/sick day read.
This is one I won't be reading again but I did enjoy the journey. This would work well as a film in my opinion.
November 20, 2019
Grace is Gone is a beautifully written page turner and if you know nothing of the case it is based on you will devour it- it's a twisty plot that is hugely compelling.
For me though the issue came with the fact that I am highly aware of the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case, a fascinating real life incident so for me ultimately Grace is Gone held no surprises- although I continued to the end because I was enjoying the writing and there were minor adjustments to the reality to be fair but nothing major enough to add anything new.
Overall this is a great book for anyone unaware of the outcome in Gypsy's case and you'll want to look it up at the end. Don't look it up before though or this will go from an utterly riveting story and become, like it was for me, a generally interesting look at the various nuances.
Absolutely recommended though just with the above in mind.
I'll look forward to more from Emily Elgar.
For me though the issue came with the fact that I am highly aware of the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case, a fascinating real life incident so for me ultimately Grace is Gone held no surprises- although I continued to the end because I was enjoying the writing and there were minor adjustments to the reality to be fair but nothing major enough to add anything new.
Overall this is a great book for anyone unaware of the outcome in Gypsy's case and you'll want to look it up at the end. Don't look it up before though or this will go from an utterly riveting story and become, like it was for me, a generally interesting look at the various nuances.
Absolutely recommended though just with the above in mind.
I'll look forward to more from Emily Elgar.
November 19, 2019
WOW, OMG and WTAF are the 3 main thoughts I had whilst reading Grace is Gone and the day after I finished the book my feelings haven’t changed that much except I realise that YOU will expect a little more detail from me in my review so bear with me.. I might start rambling:
Grace is Gone is inspired by a shocking true story, however I didn’t know that when I started reading it, so I went in “oblivious” to what the story is based on and started reading without a clue what was to come.
Grace is a 17 year old wheelchair bound, seriously ill young lady who is cared for by her devoted single mother Megan. They are both adored and respected in the small community they live in. With an absent and violent father and a tragic past Grace and Meg are protected and supported by their neighbours, so when Cara, their next door neighbour discovers Meg’s battered body and Grace’s empty wheelchair the town is left in turmoil and the race to find Grace begins.
This story has several narrators which I personally LOVE, because the story starts to unfold layer by layer. We find out more about Meg and Grace through a disgraced and ostracised journalist Jon, who published an article on the family and was publicly shunned and issued with a restraining order against the family. Jon is now estranged from his beloved wife and son and becomes obsessed with finding out where Grace has gone.
Cara, the young neighbour and one of Grace’s only friends is still in shock after discovering Meg’s murder and becomes focused on discovering the truth about the family even if it means her own life is in danger.
With Grace’s diary to help Cara and Jon dig deeper into the murder and missing teenager, Grace is Gone tells a sad and disturbingly dark tale of mental illness. I will admit that because I wasn’t aware it was based on a true event I thought I was extremely clever to “work out the twist” almost immediately, however this didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this addictive and brilliantly written story.
Grace is Gone is inspired by a shocking true story, however I didn’t know that when I started reading it, so I went in “oblivious” to what the story is based on and started reading without a clue what was to come.
Grace is a 17 year old wheelchair bound, seriously ill young lady who is cared for by her devoted single mother Megan. They are both adored and respected in the small community they live in. With an absent and violent father and a tragic past Grace and Meg are protected and supported by their neighbours, so when Cara, their next door neighbour discovers Meg’s battered body and Grace’s empty wheelchair the town is left in turmoil and the race to find Grace begins.
This story has several narrators which I personally LOVE, because the story starts to unfold layer by layer. We find out more about Meg and Grace through a disgraced and ostracised journalist Jon, who published an article on the family and was publicly shunned and issued with a restraining order against the family. Jon is now estranged from his beloved wife and son and becomes obsessed with finding out where Grace has gone.
Cara, the young neighbour and one of Grace’s only friends is still in shock after discovering Meg’s murder and becomes focused on discovering the truth about the family even if it means her own life is in danger.
With Grace’s diary to help Cara and Jon dig deeper into the murder and missing teenager, Grace is Gone tells a sad and disturbingly dark tale of mental illness. I will admit that because I wasn’t aware it was based on a true event I thought I was extremely clever to “work out the twist” almost immediately, however this didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this addictive and brilliantly written story.
February 9, 2020
This book is based on a true story, that of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, which took place in the United States, an absolutely mind-blowing, harrowing event that scarred a whole community. I was mesmerised by the whole case. There is also another book to be published next month too with the author's own twist on it.
The author does disclose that this is her take on the true-life case but set in the UK. There are some additional characters used and a twist at the end but the flux of the story remains the same. If you know the story or have read the book coming out next month then there won't be a great deal of surprises for you in this.
The author's characters are well developed and I really enjoyed the added spin-offs of the fictional characters such as Jon. The story is gripping in every way and it is heartbreaking to know that this happened. Grace's mum was a force to be reckoned with where the health care system was concerned. I mean how could so many doctors have fallen for all this, but they did.
A stunning story, if you have no knowledge of the real case. It is the shock element that makes this.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
The author does disclose that this is her take on the true-life case but set in the UK. There are some additional characters used and a twist at the end but the flux of the story remains the same. If you know the story or have read the book coming out next month then there won't be a great deal of surprises for you in this.
The author's characters are well developed and I really enjoyed the added spin-offs of the fictional characters such as Jon. The story is gripping in every way and it is heartbreaking to know that this happened. Grace's mum was a force to be reckoned with where the health care system was concerned. I mean how could so many doctors have fallen for all this, but they did.
A stunning story, if you have no knowledge of the real case. It is the shock element that makes this.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
January 20, 2020
********Spoiler Alert ******
Stopped reading halfway through, when I turned to the end of the book and read the epilogue what I'd been thinking was true.
This book is based on the story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, I had the feeling while reading it. Why not come out and tell people if I wanted to read that story I would have done so.
Aggravated with the time I spent reading this book.
Stopped reading halfway through, when I turned to the end of the book and read the epilogue what I'd been thinking was true.
This book is based on the story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, I had the feeling while reading it. Why not come out and tell people if I wanted to read that story I would have done so.
Aggravated with the time I spent reading this book.
February 4, 2020
A scary book which shook my insides, based on real life incidents.
Meg and Grace, mom and seriously ill daughter were the darling of the town when one night Meg was murdered brutally, and Grace vanished, probably kidnapped or killed. It took a journalist Jon and neighbor Cara all their skills to find her.
My first book by author Emily Elgar, the story brought a sinking tumoil in me. I had read enough to realize where the story was going, but the author's writing did its magic on me, and I was entranced to keep reading.
Told to me in dual POV, I got to know how Jon and Cara investigated along with their personal lives, there was also Grace's voice, as excerpts from her diary, interweaved into the story which had a strong hold on it.
The story, all true, brought out the dark human psyche. It was quite a page turner that kept me engrossed all through. A perfect breakfast read, I would say. The darker, the better.
Meg and Grace, mom and seriously ill daughter were the darling of the town when one night Meg was murdered brutally, and Grace vanished, probably kidnapped or killed. It took a journalist Jon and neighbor Cara all their skills to find her.
My first book by author Emily Elgar, the story brought a sinking tumoil in me. I had read enough to realize where the story was going, but the author's writing did its magic on me, and I was entranced to keep reading.
Told to me in dual POV, I got to know how Jon and Cara investigated along with their personal lives, there was also Grace's voice, as excerpts from her diary, interweaved into the story which had a strong hold on it.
The story, all true, brought out the dark human psyche. It was quite a page turner that kept me engrossed all through. A perfect breakfast read, I would say. The darker, the better.
Read
May 24, 2020
July 15, 2020
The Gypsy Blanchard story fascinated me. I enjoyed DARLING ROSE GOLD, because is told a similar story in a campy manner. GRACE IS GONE adds nothing to the fiction or nonfiction on the topic of Münchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy.
January 2, 2020
"Grace is Gone"
Written by Emily Elgar
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia
As impressed by Emily Elgar's first novel, "If You Knew Her", I felt extremely excited to read her next, "Grace is Gone". Unfortunately, my interest fell apart very quickly, once I had realized that this story was inspired by the Gypsy Rose Blanchard murder case. If you are not familiar with the case, teenage Gypsy killed her mother, after realizing that her mother had been drugging her and making her believe that she was sick with many life-threatening ailments, as a result of Munchausen's By Proxy syndrome. Factitious disorders, such as Munchausen's, cause the parent to injure either themselves or their child for a number of reasons, by feeding them unhealthily or providing unnecessary medication.
In the past two years, victims of factitious disorders have been manipulated into telling their stories for films, books, and television shows. Many authors have capitalized and unkindly used others' stories to make their own, which is a completely unfair way to write a book. When we give attention to stories like this, it can cause a ripple effect, allowing sick individuals to take these elements and copycat them into their own lives. For example, there is a highly saturated book market for characters either creating or surviving school shootings, which provides detailed fictional or nonfictional accounts for mentally disturbed individuals to admire.
When a writer chooses to write a story based on a crime, they are making money off someone else's tragedy. Writing a book with detail, dialogue, and interesting characters is no easy feat, but if it mainly profits off a tragedy, I believe it to be wrong, placing a major sour taste in my mouth. I feel very ashamed by the book market of publishing houses who allow stories like this to still be written. Although making money is a large concern for publishing houses, I still believe that they too have a responsibility for the content they publish, if it can be harmful to readers or to those the story was inspired by. Not consulting the family from which this story was ripped can be ethically grey.
I personally found this book to be very disinteresting, for more reasons than the Blanchard family's tragedy. The story is told in two different perspectives, from a neighbor who lived near Grace, the afflicted girl, and her family, and from a news reporter who has morally wronged the family before by butting into their lives and even receiving a restraining order. These characters are hardly helpful, constantly fighting, and hardly investigating anything.
Telling the story through the eyes of characters scarcely involved in the disappearance further perpetuates that the author wants to be tasteful, but she eventually creates a very tasteless novel. Manipulating a true crime story to profit from is completely unethical, and I was very disappointed in the decisions made by this author. Providing many similar details to the true case does not prove that this author wanted to tell the tale of Gypsy, but she wanted to make the story her own, which it is not.
In conclusion, I had once been a fan of stories ripped from the headlines. However, maturity (and living more in the real world) allowed me to realize that we should not benefit from misfortunes of others, especially without permission. I used to be a massive fan of shows like "Law and Order". I would have wished this author took the idea of a factitious disorder into her own hands, creating new characters, rather than creating a Frankenstein story, profiting off victims. I hope there is a lesson to learn here. I do not recommend this novel, and I am not so sure I now recommend this author.
I received an advance review edition from the publisher in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes.
Written by Emily Elgar
Reviewed by Diana Iozzia
As impressed by Emily Elgar's first novel, "If You Knew Her", I felt extremely excited to read her next, "Grace is Gone". Unfortunately, my interest fell apart very quickly, once I had realized that this story was inspired by the Gypsy Rose Blanchard murder case. If you are not familiar with the case, teenage Gypsy killed her mother, after realizing that her mother had been drugging her and making her believe that she was sick with many life-threatening ailments, as a result of Munchausen's By Proxy syndrome. Factitious disorders, such as Munchausen's, cause the parent to injure either themselves or their child for a number of reasons, by feeding them unhealthily or providing unnecessary medication.
In the past two years, victims of factitious disorders have been manipulated into telling their stories for films, books, and television shows. Many authors have capitalized and unkindly used others' stories to make their own, which is a completely unfair way to write a book. When we give attention to stories like this, it can cause a ripple effect, allowing sick individuals to take these elements and copycat them into their own lives. For example, there is a highly saturated book market for characters either creating or surviving school shootings, which provides detailed fictional or nonfictional accounts for mentally disturbed individuals to admire.
When a writer chooses to write a story based on a crime, they are making money off someone else's tragedy. Writing a book with detail, dialogue, and interesting characters is no easy feat, but if it mainly profits off a tragedy, I believe it to be wrong, placing a major sour taste in my mouth. I feel very ashamed by the book market of publishing houses who allow stories like this to still be written. Although making money is a large concern for publishing houses, I still believe that they too have a responsibility for the content they publish, if it can be harmful to readers or to those the story was inspired by. Not consulting the family from which this story was ripped can be ethically grey.
I personally found this book to be very disinteresting, for more reasons than the Blanchard family's tragedy. The story is told in two different perspectives, from a neighbor who lived near Grace, the afflicted girl, and her family, and from a news reporter who has morally wronged the family before by butting into their lives and even receiving a restraining order. These characters are hardly helpful, constantly fighting, and hardly investigating anything.
Telling the story through the eyes of characters scarcely involved in the disappearance further perpetuates that the author wants to be tasteful, but she eventually creates a very tasteless novel. Manipulating a true crime story to profit from is completely unethical, and I was very disappointed in the decisions made by this author. Providing many similar details to the true case does not prove that this author wanted to tell the tale of Gypsy, but she wanted to make the story her own, which it is not.
In conclusion, I had once been a fan of stories ripped from the headlines. However, maturity (and living more in the real world) allowed me to realize that we should not benefit from misfortunes of others, especially without permission. I used to be a massive fan of shows like "Law and Order". I would have wished this author took the idea of a factitious disorder into her own hands, creating new characters, rather than creating a Frankenstein story, profiting off victims. I hope there is a lesson to learn here. I do not recommend this novel, and I am not so sure I now recommend this author.
I received an advance review edition from the publisher in exchange for reading and reviewing purposes.
November 26, 2019
This was the second Emily Elgar book I have read in the past few weeks, and just as with "If You Knew Her," I thought this book had a great premise, great characters, and lots of twists and turns that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The book is set in a small London suburb, and everyone in town knows Meg Nichols and her severely ill teenage daughter, Grace. Meg has been the perfect mother - caring for Grace for years, and Grace is her best friend. When Meg is found brutally bludgeoned in her bed, and her daughter missing, the community is in shock. Everyone also knows that Meg lived in terror of her abusive, unstable ex, and she was always convinced that he would return to try and kidnap Grace, as he had attempted to do in the past.
Enter Cara - the Nichols' neighbor and friend of Grace, who has the unfortunate experience of finding Meg murdered in her bed, and Jon Katrin, a local journalist, who knows he should avoid getting drawn back into this story, as he had previously written an article about Meg and Grace that caused his marriage to fall apart and turned the town against him. The two, both guilt-ridden about their previous actions in relation to Grace and Meg, become unexpected allies and begin their own search for Grace. Jon and Cara uncover anomaly after anomaly that only leads to more and more questions instead of answers, and in the end, the truth about Grace reveals a tragedy with numerous, unimaginable twists.
The book is told through Cara and Jon's viewpoint, as well as through Grace's diary entries. I have to say that I enjoyed Jon's POV the most (I found Cara's own mommy issues a bit over done), but they all held my interest. Not to be Miss I-Knew-That-Was-Coming, but I did figure out much of the plot well before the end of the book. Oddly enough, though, it didn't damper my enthusiasm for the book or take away from the overall experience. Perhaps that is due to the fact that it is based on actual events, which is honestly quite horrifying. Overall, an addictive page-turner that I highly recommend. After two solid books in a row, I can definitively say that I'm a fan of Emily Elgar! 4 stars.
The book is set in a small London suburb, and everyone in town knows Meg Nichols and her severely ill teenage daughter, Grace. Meg has been the perfect mother - caring for Grace for years, and Grace is her best friend. When Meg is found brutally bludgeoned in her bed, and her daughter missing, the community is in shock. Everyone also knows that Meg lived in terror of her abusive, unstable ex, and she was always convinced that he would return to try and kidnap Grace, as he had attempted to do in the past.
Enter Cara - the Nichols' neighbor and friend of Grace, who has the unfortunate experience of finding Meg murdered in her bed, and Jon Katrin, a local journalist, who knows he should avoid getting drawn back into this story, as he had previously written an article about Meg and Grace that caused his marriage to fall apart and turned the town against him. The two, both guilt-ridden about their previous actions in relation to Grace and Meg, become unexpected allies and begin their own search for Grace. Jon and Cara uncover anomaly after anomaly that only leads to more and more questions instead of answers, and in the end, the truth about Grace reveals a tragedy with numerous, unimaginable twists.
The book is told through Cara and Jon's viewpoint, as well as through Grace's diary entries. I have to say that I enjoyed Jon's POV the most (I found Cara's own mommy issues a bit over done), but they all held my interest. Not to be Miss I-Knew-That-Was-Coming, but I did figure out much of the plot well before the end of the book. Oddly enough, though, it didn't damper my enthusiasm for the book or take away from the overall experience. Perhaps that is due to the fact that it is based on actual events, which is honestly quite horrifying. Overall, an addictive page-turner that I highly recommend. After two solid books in a row, I can definitively say that I'm a fan of Emily Elgar! 4 stars.
January 25, 2020
On the day that Cara discovers her neighbour Meg's dead body, her severely disabled daughter, Grace, also disappears. As Cara, her mother and many volunteers begin looking for Grace, there is a feeling of hopelessness about finding her. She has been without her medication for days. Her father, Simon, is the natural suspect, but as Cara and Jon, a washed up journalist, begin digging, surprises come to light.
The story was told in three POVs. Cara, Jon and Grace through her diary that Cara has found. Jon had a situation involving Meg and Grace a couple of years earlier that makes his involvement a bit tricky. Cara just wants to find out what happened to Grace. There is some guilt that she was not a good enough friend and that and the diary have spurred her on. Jon is dealing with the break up of his marriage and lack of work, so this case might be the thing that changes his life. They make a very unlikely duo and do not always keep the other apprised of what they are doing. As clues are dropped along the way, I thought I knew what was going on and I was correct, but not positive until about 75% into the story. You need to read this story to find out about the major twists in this story. After you read it, check out this entry on wikipedia, The Murder of DeeDee Blanchard. I did not know this was based on a true story until I finished it, then I read about the read story. Although Emily Elgar made changes to the story, it is still easily recognizable.
I listened to the audiobook of this story narrated by Kate Rawson. She did a fine job of reading the story with some expression and intonation, but I was disappointed that there was only one narrator. Being as a large amount of this book was a male journalist, it would have been amazing to have had a male narrator as well. I had to keep looking to see who was narrating each chapter as the voice was identical. This is not a criticism of the narrator, just a missed opportunity for the publisher.
The story was told in three POVs. Cara, Jon and Grace through her diary that Cara has found. Jon had a situation involving Meg and Grace a couple of years earlier that makes his involvement a bit tricky. Cara just wants to find out what happened to Grace. There is some guilt that she was not a good enough friend and that and the diary have spurred her on. Jon is dealing with the break up of his marriage and lack of work, so this case might be the thing that changes his life. They make a very unlikely duo and do not always keep the other apprised of what they are doing. As clues are dropped along the way, I thought I knew what was going on and I was correct, but not positive until about 75% into the story. You need to read this story to find out about the major twists in this story. After you read it, check out this entry on wikipedia, The Murder of DeeDee Blanchard. I did not know this was based on a true story until I finished it, then I read about the read story. Although Emily Elgar made changes to the story, it is still easily recognizable.
I listened to the audiobook of this story narrated by Kate Rawson. She did a fine job of reading the story with some expression and intonation, but I was disappointed that there was only one narrator. Being as a large amount of this book was a male journalist, it would have been amazing to have had a male narrator as well. I had to keep looking to see who was narrating each chapter as the voice was identical. This is not a criticism of the narrator, just a missed opportunity for the publisher.
March 6, 2020
I absolutely loved this book and I went into it only reading the synopsis, not anything else and for that, I am so glad. I think this is one of those books where the less you know about it, the better. And for that every reason, my review is going to be a bit vague.
It wasn't until about halfway through that I realized where this book was going, or at least had an idea, and once I did, I knew exactly what was going on and believe it or not, was even more excited about the book. And it totally did go there and wow...what a story! It had captured my interest from the beginning, but midway, just hooked me even more.
I loved the way the story was told, alternating between Cara's point of view, the neighbor of Meg and Grace, and Jon's point of view, a local journalist. There are also diary entries from Grace interspersed throughout that are quite eye-opening. Having the story told this way allows it to unfold layer by layer and the impact is quite powerful.
Do yourself a favor and don't read too much about this book before picking it up...you'll thank me later. But do pick it up...it's a fantastic read and it you are as obsessed with this subject as I am, you will definitely love this book. This is the first time I've read anything by Emily Elgar but it won't be the last.
Thank you to Harper Perennial for providing me with a free review copy!
My reviews can also be found on my blog: http://alwayswithabook.blogspot.com/
It wasn't until about halfway through that I realized where this book was going, or at least had an idea, and once I did, I knew exactly what was going on and believe it or not, was even more excited about the book. And it totally did go there and wow...what a story! It had captured my interest from the beginning, but midway, just hooked me even more.
I loved the way the story was told, alternating between Cara's point of view, the neighbor of Meg and Grace, and Jon's point of view, a local journalist. There are also diary entries from Grace interspersed throughout that are quite eye-opening. Having the story told this way allows it to unfold layer by layer and the impact is quite powerful.
Do yourself a favor and don't read too much about this book before picking it up...you'll thank me later. But do pick it up...it's a fantastic read and it you are as obsessed with this subject as I am, you will definitely love this book. This is the first time I've read anything by Emily Elgar but it won't be the last.
Thank you to Harper Perennial for providing me with a free review copy!
My reviews can also be found on my blog: http://alwayswithabook.blogspot.com/
November 9, 2020
Mon avis en français
My English review
Je ne connaissais pas du tout l’auteure, mais en lisant le résumé du roman, j’ai été curieuse de découvrir ce roman.
Meg, la mère de famille parfaite qui s’occupe de sa fille handicapée, a été retrouvée assassinée chez elle. Mais voilà, sa fille qui se déplace en fauteuil roulant, Grace qui a disparu… Que s’est-il passé ? Est-ce que quelqu’un l’a enlevée ? Est-elle, elle aussi, morte ?
Cara, une amie d’enfance de Grace, ainsi que Jon, un ancien journaliste qui avait interviewé mère et fille, se lancent à la recherche d’indices pour comprendre ce qui s’est passé. Mais voilà, les choses sont bien plus complexes que prévues et si tout le monde pense que le père y est pour quelque chose, nos deux héros vont découvrir que Meg avait de grands secrets.
C’était un roman assez sympa. Même si je me suis doutée de la fin, j’ai passé un très bon moment. J’étais curieuse de découvrir les révélations au sujet de cette mère et cette fille.
My English review
Je ne connaissais pas du tout l’auteure, mais en lisant le résumé du roman, j’ai été curieuse de découvrir ce roman.
Meg, la mère de famille parfaite qui s’occupe de sa fille handicapée, a été retrouvée assassinée chez elle. Mais voilà, sa fille qui se déplace en fauteuil roulant, Grace qui a disparu… Que s’est-il passé ? Est-ce que quelqu’un l’a enlevée ? Est-elle, elle aussi, morte ?
Cara, une amie d’enfance de Grace, ainsi que Jon, un ancien journaliste qui avait interviewé mère et fille, se lancent à la recherche d’indices pour comprendre ce qui s’est passé. Mais voilà, les choses sont bien plus complexes que prévues et si tout le monde pense que le père y est pour quelque chose, nos deux héros vont découvrir que Meg avait de grands secrets.
C’était un roman assez sympa. Même si je me suis doutée de la fin, j’ai passé un très bon moment. J’étais curieuse de découvrir les révélations au sujet de cette mère et cette fille.
June 11, 2020
When Grace, a 17-year old wheelchair-bound girl with multiple serious health problems is given a diary, she vows to find secrets she can write into it.
In the picturesque English town of Ashford, Grace and her mother Meghan are beloved members of the local community, which is always keen to help Grace with fundraisers. But when Meghan is found dead and Grace is missing, along with the only suspect: Meghan’s abusive ex-partner and father of Grace, it becomes apparent that many people in the community have their own secrets. With Grace’s wheelchair left behind and her need for medication, the search becomes more urgent.
Cara, who found Meghan’s body and grew up with Grace, is hit particularly hard by the tragedy. Desperate to find Grace no matter the cost, she joins forces with Jon, a journalist despised by locals for his reporting on Grace, who already juggles work and couples therapy to win back his estranged wife and son.
Based on a real-life occurrence, the author changed some details about Grace’s disappearance and made the story her own.
The book alternates between the two narrators Cara, who finds Meghan’s body and Jon, the disgraced journalist, on their quest to find Grace. The reader hears directly from Grace through her diary entries.
The book draws in the reader quickly, it was easy to read and flowed well. While some twists were obvious, it was still enjoyable.
I am glad I did not look up which real-life mystery the book is based on, as the there was extensive news coverage on the 'real Grace' and I had of course read about her at the time. I enjoyed reading more on the 'real Grace' and finding out where the author went her own way.
I look forward to reading more books by Emily Elgar.
Thanks to NetGalley, Little Brown book group UK and Emily Elgar for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In the picturesque English town of Ashford, Grace and her mother Meghan are beloved members of the local community, which is always keen to help Grace with fundraisers. But when Meghan is found dead and Grace is missing, along with the only suspect: Meghan’s abusive ex-partner and father of Grace, it becomes apparent that many people in the community have their own secrets. With Grace’s wheelchair left behind and her need for medication, the search becomes more urgent.
Cara, who found Meghan’s body and grew up with Grace, is hit particularly hard by the tragedy. Desperate to find Grace no matter the cost, she joins forces with Jon, a journalist despised by locals for his reporting on Grace, who already juggles work and couples therapy to win back his estranged wife and son.
Based on a real-life occurrence, the author changed some details about Grace’s disappearance and made the story her own.
The book alternates between the two narrators Cara, who finds Meghan’s body and Jon, the disgraced journalist, on their quest to find Grace. The reader hears directly from Grace through her diary entries.
The book draws in the reader quickly, it was easy to read and flowed well. While some twists were obvious, it was still enjoyable.
I am glad I did not look up which real-life mystery the book is based on, as the there was extensive news coverage on the 'real Grace' and I had of course read about her at the time. I enjoyed reading more on the 'real Grace' and finding out where the author went her own way.
I look forward to reading more books by Emily Elgar.
Thanks to NetGalley, Little Brown book group UK and Emily Elgar for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 6, 2020
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A familiar yet intense story line...
PLOT SUMMARY:
Meg is dead...she has been brutally murdered in her own home...and her invalid teenage daughter Grace is missing. Who would want to kill Meg, this pillar of the community, this saint who devoted her life to her daughter...never giving up on Grace no matter how sick she got. Well, regardless of how perfect she was, someone sure wanted her dead. And without her medication, how long will Grace last without her?
PROS and CONS:
Any true crime fan (I’m totally addicted to true crime podcasts!) will immediately recognize this story..as a result I found this one a little hard to get into because I knew where it was all going...or I thought I did! Thankfully there are enough differences to make this worth reading...the backstory of the characters was new, and appreciated, as was the input from others who were close to the situation.
Two separate and distinct narrators (journalist Jon and next door neighbour Cara) allowed the story to be slowly revealed from all sides...and the addition of the diary entries just added more intrigue to this mystery. Cara and Jon followed the clues in a logical manner and I found it all very believable and not frustrating! I did find Jon to be disappointing on many levels, but these character flaws only added to the experience.
Knowing the true story behind this book, to me, only enhanced my enjoyment. If it interested you, you should be sure to look into the real life events because they are crazy too!
YES or NO:
It’s a YES - this one is a winner and I greatly enjoyed reading it.
4 Stars
A familiar yet intense story line...
PLOT SUMMARY:
Meg is dead...she has been brutally murdered in her own home...and her invalid teenage daughter Grace is missing. Who would want to kill Meg, this pillar of the community, this saint who devoted her life to her daughter...never giving up on Grace no matter how sick she got. Well, regardless of how perfect she was, someone sure wanted her dead. And without her medication, how long will Grace last without her?
PROS and CONS:
Any true crime fan (I’m totally addicted to true crime podcasts!) will immediately recognize this story..as a result I found this one a little hard to get into because I knew where it was all going...or I thought I did! Thankfully there are enough differences to make this worth reading...the backstory of the characters was new, and appreciated, as was the input from others who were close to the situation.
Two separate and distinct narrators (journalist Jon and next door neighbour Cara) allowed the story to be slowly revealed from all sides...and the addition of the diary entries just added more intrigue to this mystery. Cara and Jon followed the clues in a logical manner and I found it all very believable and not frustrating! I did find Jon to be disappointing on many levels, but these character flaws only added to the experience.
Knowing the true story behind this book, to me, only enhanced my enjoyment. If it interested you, you should be sure to look into the real life events because they are crazy too!
YES or NO:
It’s a YES - this one is a winner and I greatly enjoyed reading it.
4 Stars
November 20, 2019
Grace is Gone is a beautifully written page turner and if you know nothing of the case it is based on you will devour it- it's a twisty plot that is hugely compelling.
For me though the issue came with the fact that I am highly aware of the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case, a fascinating real life incident so for me ultimately Grace is Gone held no surprises- although I continued to the end because I was enjoying the writing and there were minor adjustments to the reality to be fair but nothing major enough to add anything new.
Overall this is a great book for anyone unaware of the outcome in Gypsy's case and you'll want to look it up at the end. Don't look it up before though or this will go from an utterly riveting story and become, like it was for me, a generally interesting look at the various nuances.
Absolutely recommended though just with the above in mind.
I'll look forward to more from Emily Elgar.
For me though the issue came with the fact that I am highly aware of the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case, a fascinating real life incident so for me ultimately Grace is Gone held no surprises- although I continued to the end because I was enjoying the writing and there were minor adjustments to the reality to be fair but nothing major enough to add anything new.
Overall this is a great book for anyone unaware of the outcome in Gypsy's case and you'll want to look it up at the end. Don't look it up before though or this will go from an utterly riveting story and become, like it was for me, a generally interesting look at the various nuances.
Absolutely recommended though just with the above in mind.
I'll look forward to more from Emily Elgar.
January 17, 2020
Reading «Grace is Gone» reminded me of two very distinct things:
- why thrillers and mysteries used to be my favorite genres, and also
- why I stopped reading them.
«Grace is Gone» combines some of the best traits of mysteries and thrillers - from an action-packed page-turner to gripping writing style, I never noticed myself flipping the pages (or, in this case, tapping on my Kindle), and from the first sentence I got transported into the story. It was very difficult to put the book down when I needed to sleep, and my thoughts kept returning to this story over and over again.
Writing thrillers is not an easy task. Besides all the little hints spread through the story that usually neatly tie in a pretty bow by the end of the book, the author needs to be careful to not only “tell”, but also “show” the events to readers. And Emily Elgar’s writing did just that.
I loved how simple and efficient her writing is. How she doesn’t waste a single word, and every sentence conveys some part of the picture. Whether she was talking about dripping blood or “favorite daisy-printed sheets”, her writing always felt purposeful.
Despite all its positive qualities, «Grace is Gone» lacked one important trait - unexpected twists. The hints were there for us to see, but it wasn’t just the hints that made me suspect how it was going to end. From the beginning, I saw these familiar elements that I’ve already seen in other books.
If you’re new to Thriller and Mystery genre this will be a perfect starting point for you. Captivating and very emotional, «Grace is Gone» combines family relationships and small-town setting with interesting, and at points dangerous, investigation.
- why thrillers and mysteries used to be my favorite genres, and also
- why I stopped reading them.
«Grace is Gone» combines some of the best traits of mysteries and thrillers - from an action-packed page-turner to gripping writing style, I never noticed myself flipping the pages (or, in this case, tapping on my Kindle), and from the first sentence I got transported into the story. It was very difficult to put the book down when I needed to sleep, and my thoughts kept returning to this story over and over again.
Writing thrillers is not an easy task. Besides all the little hints spread through the story that usually neatly tie in a pretty bow by the end of the book, the author needs to be careful to not only “tell”, but also “show” the events to readers. And Emily Elgar’s writing did just that.
I loved how simple and efficient her writing is. How she doesn’t waste a single word, and every sentence conveys some part of the picture. Whether she was talking about dripping blood or “favorite daisy-printed sheets”, her writing always felt purposeful.
Despite all its positive qualities, «Grace is Gone» lacked one important trait - unexpected twists. The hints were there for us to see, but it wasn’t just the hints that made me suspect how it was going to end. From the beginning, I saw these familiar elements that I’ve already seen in other books.
If you’re new to Thriller and Mystery genre this will be a perfect starting point for you. Captivating and very emotional, «Grace is Gone» combines family relationships and small-town setting with interesting, and at points dangerous, investigation.
January 15, 2020
3.75 rounded up
I wasn't familiar with the ripped from the headlines story this book was based on before reading Grace is Gone (don't read about it until after otherwise it may ruin this book for you), but I guessed the main plot twist early on in the book. Even though I had suspicions, it didn't take away from my enjoyment while reading. The characters were well developed and the plot was intriguing, so I found this to be an easy read to immerse myself in.
Grace is Gone is told in alternating POVs as well as diary entries from Grace. I love books told in multiple points of view and Jon was a standout for me. His character just clicked with me and was a major reason that I enjoyed this book so much. Both Jon and Cara were so riddled with guilt over what happened to Grace that they couldn't stop digging until the truth came out. While the truth was a bit shocking and I was devastated for those who had their lives ruined, everything fell together so well at the end. The final chapters and epilogue will leave you thinking about this story long after you've finished. I could keep talking about this one, but I don't want to give anything away so I'll just part with recommending this one to all the thriller and mystery readers out there.
Thank you HarperCollins for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. A positive review was not required.
I wasn't familiar with the ripped from the headlines story this book was based on before reading Grace is Gone (don't read about it until after otherwise it may ruin this book for you), but I guessed the main plot twist early on in the book. Even though I had suspicions, it didn't take away from my enjoyment while reading. The characters were well developed and the plot was intriguing, so I found this to be an easy read to immerse myself in.
Grace is Gone is told in alternating POVs as well as diary entries from Grace. I love books told in multiple points of view and Jon was a standout for me. His character just clicked with me and was a major reason that I enjoyed this book so much. Both Jon and Cara were so riddled with guilt over what happened to Grace that they couldn't stop digging until the truth came out. While the truth was a bit shocking and I was devastated for those who had their lives ruined, everything fell together so well at the end. The final chapters and epilogue will leave you thinking about this story long after you've finished. I could keep talking about this one, but I don't want to give anything away so I'll just part with recommending this one to all the thriller and mystery readers out there.
Thank you HarperCollins for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. A positive review was not required.
January 16, 2021
Woah. I’m always a fan of psychological thriller/murder mysteries and this book did not disappoint. There are so many layers so this story, but most prevalent to me was the idea of GroupThink and how the beliefs of a few can shape the livelihood of thousands. This books exemplifies how it’s hard to stand alone from the crowd and chase the truth that others don’t want to face, but, at the end of the day, the truth will always come out.
June 29, 2020
This small town mystery certainly was addictive! Various view points and diary entries tell the story of a missing disabled young girl and of a town searching for her and answers. Compelling to the very twisted ending. 3.5 stars and another .5 for the last 50 pages!! I won this book from Librarything.
June 13, 2021
3.0 ⭐. Begin is erg goed, maar ik vond het na een tijdje wat minder worden. Ook het einde viel me tegen. Wel een vlotte schrijfstijl.
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