Lisa Gardner's Before She Disappeared offers a gripping thriller featuring a determined protagonist, Frankie Elkin, who searches for missing persons. Its strong character development and intense plot have been praised. However, some readers find the pacing uneven and side characters underdeveloped. Overall, it’s a compelling read with some minor flaws.

A reader who enjoys Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner likely appreciates gripping thrillers with complex characters. Fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl and Paula Hawkins' The Girl on the Train will find Gardner's novel equally compelling, with its strong, flawed protagonist and intricate mystery.

In Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner, amateur detective Frankie Elkin, who specializes in finding missing persons from marginalized communities, arrives in Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood to search for Angelique Badeau, a Haitian teenager who disappeared nearly a year earlier. Through her investigation, Frankie uncovers a complex web of secrets and dangers, ultimately confronting issues of invisibility and marginalization while seeking redemption for her past mistakes. The book discusses themes of racism, addiction, sexual violence, and violence involving children.

Suspenseful / Mysterious / Gritty / Emotional / Dark

- Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner introduces a new protagonist, Frankie Elkin, who is a middle-aged recovering alcoholic with no law enforcement background but has a knack for finding missing persons overlooked by the system.
- Lisa Gardner has a tradition of intensive research for her novels, and for Before She Disappeared, she consulted with real-life private investigators and missing person advocates to bring authenticity to Frankie's character and investigations.
- The novel is set in Boston, a departure from Gardner's usual settings, and explores the dynamics of racially and culturally diverse neighborhoods while highlighting issues of social justice.

Lisa Gardner

Adult

Novel

Frankie Elkin

Fiction

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Before She Disappeared Summary and Study Guide

Background

Before She Disappeared Background

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-8

Before She Disappeared Chapters 1-8 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 9-16

Before She Disappeared Chapters 9-16 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 17-25

Before She Disappeared Chapters 17-25 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 26-32

Before She Disappeared Chapters 26-32 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 33-37

Before She Disappeared Chapters 33-37 Summary & Analysis

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Character Analysis

Before She Disappeared Character Analysis

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Themes

Before She Disappeared Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Before She Disappeared Symbols & Motifs

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Important Quotes

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Before She Disappeared

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