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When She Was Gone {Review and Giveaway}

March 13, 2013 by Jennifer

I’ve read a couple of connected short story collections lately (News from Heaven and When it Happens to You). Though When She Was Gone is not a short story collection, it will appeal to those of you who appreciate short stories, because of the unique way the story is told.

Linsey disappears from her home at 26 Sycamore Street one late summer morning just days before she’s supposed to leave for college at Cornell. The people who live in the homes surrounding hers in the New Jersey neighborhood all have a story to tell. One or two saw her leave. One found the note she left after it fluttered away out of the mailbox. One heard her discussions with her boyfriend in the weeks leading up to her disappearance.

The different chapters are each told from the point of view of the neighbor in question, who each is also letting the reader into their own lives and secrets. The diverse points of view make each chapter a different discovery: some are elderly, some are children, some are other mothers, some are classmates. Gross deftly uses these narratives to move Linsey’s story forward (Why did she leave? Where did she go? Will she come back?) while also telling the own character’s story, and each ties in to the greater backdrop of suburban culture that is a prominent theme.

One of the things I love most about being a book reviewer is “discovering” new authors and following their career. Gwendolen Gross is one of those authors for me. When I was reviewing books early on, I reviewed her first novel The Other Mother, and then excitedly requested her second The Orphan Sister. When She Was Gone showed up on my doorstep as an unsolicited review copy, and once I realized Gross wrote it, it quickly moved to the top of my stack.

I’m happy to say that I have a copy to give to TWO of you (U.S. readers only). Just leave a comment if you’d like to be entered to win. We’ll announce the winner in our 3/27 giveaway column.
The giveaway is closed.

The winner of Why Can’t I Be You is #14 Jessica T.

Check out our current giveaways. Make sure you don’t miss what’s coming up: Subscribe to our feed. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter or on Facebook.

Filed Under: Fiction, Jennifer, Mystery/Suspense

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Comments

  1. pearl says

    March 13, 2013 at 9:58 am

    This book sounds wonderful and special. Thanks.

  2. ellie says

    March 13, 2013 at 10:50 am

    I am interested in this intriguing story.

  3. Angela E. says

    March 13, 2013 at 11:18 am

    This is my kind of read, thanks

  4. Anne says

    March 13, 2013 at 12:38 pm

    thanks for this post and feature. Fascinating.

  5. Jenna Evans says

    March 13, 2013 at 5:12 pm

    Sounds like something for the TBR list! I’d love to read it!

  6. diane says

    March 13, 2013 at 5:16 pm

    An enjoyable book.

    • Jennifer says

      March 26, 2013 at 8:59 pm

      Diane–you won the book. Please reply to this comment (via email) with your shipping info.

  7. Linda Kish says

    March 13, 2013 at 10:07 pm

    This sounds like a very interesting story. One that I would love to read.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    • Jennifer says

      March 27, 2013 at 9:14 pm

      You won this! Please reply to this email with your shipping info.

  8. Beth C says

    March 14, 2013 at 8:46 am

    I want to find out where she went and why!

  9. Chuck says

    March 14, 2013 at 10:30 am

    My wife would like to read this one.

  10. Anita Yancey says

    March 14, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    This book sounds very interesting. I really like that it is told from different points of view. Thanks for this chance to win it.

  11. Lori D. says

    March 16, 2013 at 11:21 am

    Oh, this one sounds great.

  12. Don says

    March 17, 2013 at 11:48 am

    Another good one.

  13. Seaside Book Nook says

    March 18, 2013 at 11:39 pm

    I absolutely love Gwendolen Gross and would be so excited to win her latest book. She is such a sweet person and amazing author!

    Thanks for the great giveaway.
    Jill at Seaside Book Nook

    seasidebooknook at yahoo dot com

  14. Garrett says

    March 19, 2013 at 9:05 am

    My girlfriend said that she want’s to read this book.

  15. Jessica Tan says

    March 19, 2013 at 11:51 pm

    Sounds good! Would love to win!

  16. Suzy says

    March 21, 2013 at 9:43 pm

    I want this book so badly! It looks soooooo great!

  17. samantha w says

    March 25, 2013 at 12:56 am

    this book sounds really good

  18. Kelly says

    March 25, 2013 at 9:30 am

    This book sounds great…I actually have it on my “most anticipated” list for 2013. Would love to win a copy!

  19. Liz says

    March 26, 2013 at 5:36 pm

    I’ve come back to this as I keep seeing nice reviews. Sounds good but may need a sunny day for reading if too intense.

    • Jennifer says

      March 26, 2013 at 7:48 pm

      I don’t think it’s intense necessarily. It’s actually a pretty quiet observational sort of mystery.

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