She’s Gone by David Bell is a fast-paced Young Adult thriller with many twists and turns and edge-of-the-seat moments.
The story begins with 17-year-old Hunter Gifford waking up in a hospital with a concussion. He comes to know he had been in a car crash and his girlfriend Chloe Summers is missing, even though traces of her blood have been found in the car. As expected, he is the primary suspect, and his inability to remember anything from that night makes him even more suspicious.
Disgruntled with the police’s investigation, Hunter begins his own detective work. His greatest enemy is his own memory!
This is my first David Bell mystery, and I enjoyed reading it. The pacing is excellent and the short chapter length with intriguing cliffhangers made the experience enjoyable.
The intended audience, Young Adults, can easily relate to the characters, their struggles, and the setting. They are well-developed and their behaviour is realistically depicted. The author has cleverly used social media in the story.
Hunter’s family dynamics are well portrayed and feel quite authentic.
While I liked most of the narration, there were a few disjointed dialogues that dragged unnecessarily. The grand mystery behind the disappearance, though a bit of a dampener, is revealed interestingly.
She’s Gone is a wonderful whodunnit, and if you are a fan of YA mysteries, you will enjoy it.
I received a free copy of this book from Source Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Wordsopedia Rating 4/5
| Title: She’s Gone | Author: David Bell |
| Publisher: Source Books | Publication date: 1 Nov 2022 |
| Genre: Fiction—YA Thriller | Format: Hardcover |
| ISBN: 9781662505775 | No. of Pages: 304 |
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About the author
David Bell is the USA Today-bestselling author of twelve novels from Berkley/Penguin, including THE FINALISTS, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, THE REQUEST, LAYOVER, SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER, BRING HER HOME, SINCE SHE WENT AWAY, SOMEBODY I USED TO KNOW, THE FORGOTTEN GIRL, NEVER COME BACK, THE HIDING PLACE, and CEMETERY GIRL.
His work has been translated into many foreign languages, included on several bestseller lists, nominated for the Pushcart Prize five times, and, in 2013, won the prestigious Prix Polar International de Cognac for the best crime novel by an international author. Recently, his thirteenth novel, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, was nominated for a 2022 Edgar Award.
He is a professor of English at Western Kentucky University where he co-founded the MFA program in creative writing. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he spends his free time rooting for the Reds and Bengals, watching movies, and walking in the cemetery near his house. He lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with his wife, young adult author M Hendrix.
Get in touch with the author on his website.