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A review by thephdivabooks
And Then You Were Gone by R.J. Jacobs
5.0
A fast-paced thriller that will have your head spinning as you try to figure out what happened to Paolo!!
And Then You Were Gone is a unique thriller that features a leading character who has been successfully managing her bipolar disorder for years—a fact that is called into question when her boyfriend disappears.
This was truly an unputdownable one for me!
Fantastic writing, engaging mystery, and a relatable lead character all make this a standout debut novel.
Emily and her boyfriend Paolo are out on a boat together when Emily wakes up to discover Paolo is gone. Emily is adrift on the boat, afraid, and alone. And there is no clear sign on foul play! Though Emily is afraid of the water, Paolo certainly is not. He’s a strong swimmer and the chances he drowned are slim.
I’m always fascinated by missing person mysteries more than any other type, because there are such a huge range of outcomes! Are they alive? Ran away? Kidnapped? Hiding? Lost? The puzzle keeps me guessing.
The set up for this really engaged me! I couldn’t figure out what I thought happened, because there just weren’t a lot of clues. In the weeks after his disappearance, Emily spirals. As everyone moves on and mourns his almost certain death, Emily can’t accept it. If he died, why can’t they find a body?
There is the added layer of Emily’s mental health that was executed so well. I’ve actually had the opportunity to chat a bit with the author, and I know he is a psychologist. It really shows in this book—he describes Emily’s bipolar disorder, treatment, and her fear that her careful balance she has worked to maintain may slip.
The police question Emily when they discover her medication on the boat. Did she drug Paolo? Were they taking recreational drugs? It was such an interesting and unfortunately accurate story. One that happens all of the time.
And the mystery itself? Lightening-paced and fascinating! As you begin to learn more about what may have been the context of Paolo’s disappearance (and I won’t say what that is because it is so fun to learn about in the book), you will have a hard time putting this one down!
Truly—one of the most engaging psychological thrillers I’ve read this year!
And Then You Were Gone is a unique thriller that features a leading character who has been successfully managing her bipolar disorder for years—a fact that is called into question when her boyfriend disappears.
This was truly an unputdownable one for me!
Fantastic writing, engaging mystery, and a relatable lead character all make this a standout debut novel.
Emily and her boyfriend Paolo are out on a boat together when Emily wakes up to discover Paolo is gone. Emily is adrift on the boat, afraid, and alone. And there is no clear sign on foul play! Though Emily is afraid of the water, Paolo certainly is not. He’s a strong swimmer and the chances he drowned are slim.
I’m always fascinated by missing person mysteries more than any other type, because there are such a huge range of outcomes! Are they alive? Ran away? Kidnapped? Hiding? Lost? The puzzle keeps me guessing.
The set up for this really engaged me! I couldn’t figure out what I thought happened, because there just weren’t a lot of clues. In the weeks after his disappearance, Emily spirals. As everyone moves on and mourns his almost certain death, Emily can’t accept it. If he died, why can’t they find a body?
There is the added layer of Emily’s mental health that was executed so well. I’ve actually had the opportunity to chat a bit with the author, and I know he is a psychologist. It really shows in this book—he describes Emily’s bipolar disorder, treatment, and her fear that her careful balance she has worked to maintain may slip.
The police question Emily when they discover her medication on the boat. Did she drug Paolo? Were they taking recreational drugs? It was such an interesting and unfortunately accurate story. One that happens all of the time.
And the mystery itself? Lightening-paced and fascinating! As you begin to learn more about what may have been the context of Paolo’s disappearance (and I won’t say what that is because it is so fun to learn about in the book), you will have a hard time putting this one down!
Truly—one of the most engaging psychological thrillers I’ve read this year!