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There are currently 21 member reviews
for Since She Went Away
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Sharlene M. (Middleburg, FL)
Since She Went Away
I'm not going to take up space retelling what the books is about; but let me start by saying that I gave this book five stars which is a rating I usually reserve for something akin to "To Kill A Mockingbird." No, this is not a Pulitizer Prize Winner but I can tell you that I had a hard time putting it down and that counts a lot for me in a book. The characters are extremely likeable and I found myself wanting things to work out for the best for them. The ending was surprising and the author didn't leave the reader hanging. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I will look for some of the author's previous novels. Thank you, BookBrowse, for introducing me to a new author.
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Rebecca K. (Chicagoland, IL)
David Bell at his best
"Since She Went Away" is another example of David Bell doing what he does best. He can build the tension, lead the reader down the wrong pathway, and give a twist ending as well as any of the masters of psychological thrillers. With a wide variety of unique characters (including one modeled after Nancy Grace), a twisting plot, and plenty of red herrings, I can honestly say I was very surprised by the finale. I definitely recommend this novel to any lover of suspense.
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Teresa K. (Broadlands, VA)
Since She Went Away
David Bell's, Since She Went Away, is a tense and well-constructed story about disappearances, crimes and complex emotions. Set in Hawks Mill, KY, the book opens with a search for Celia Walters who disappeared three months ago on her way to meet her childhood friend, Jenna Barton, who arranged the meeting. The two friends had drifted apart over the years partly because Celia married Ian and moved into a higher social circle while Jenna, a single mom, is trying to raise her son, fifteen year old Jared, on a nurse's salary. Jenna shows up at every site where the police are looking for Celia because she not only misses her friend, but because she was late for the meeting during which time Celia might have been abducted. A policewoman, Naomi Poole, has been working on the case from the beginning and keeps Jenna and the reader informed of developments. The story unfolds with Jared falling for a beautiful new student in his high school, Tabitha Burke, who recently moved into town with her strange, menacing father. She and her father disappear mysteriously, another woman is found murdered in a nearby area, and the body of Henry Allen the father of Bobby, a student at the same school, has been found in the abandoned house belonging to Tabitha and her father William Rose. Intricate details concerning all of these mysteries emerge as the story comes to a dramatic and unexpected conclusion. The threads of the plot are wonderfully woven together in this very intriguing novel. I recommend it highly.
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DeAnn A. (Denver, CO)
Page-Turning Suspense
I was completely drawn in to "Since She Went Away" staying up late several nights to read it. I found the story to be very believable (unlike some suspense novels). I especially thought the portrayal of Detective Poole was well done. She had good police skills and was committed to her job. I admit that I did not see the ending coming, a sign of good writing to me! I found the sensational journalism techniques described to be very realistic and gave me an insider's view to how challenging it must be to be a family close to the crime. I liked the main character Jenna – we really get inside her head and get a fully formed idea of who she is in trying to raise her son, working, and all of the survivor's guilt with her friend's disappearance. I have not read any of David Bell's previous books, but I will start tracking them down.
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Amanda P
Really enjoyable!
Let me first start by saying how much I enjoyed the characters. David Bell does a wonderful job drawing me into the minds of all the characters. I was quite surprised by the ending but it all fit together. I could picture myself there in the story feeling the cold and feeling the emotions of Celia's friends and family. When I consider Celia's husband and friends I wonder how I would respond in their position. Would I be private or public in my grief? What would I have done or done differently? So not only did the story entertain, but it also made me think. Overall a good read.
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Christine P. (Gig Harbor, WA)
An entertaining mystery/thriller
David Bell writes a good entertaining mystery/thriller. The book is well-paced and has just the right amount of plot twists to keep the pages turning. I especially like the relationship between Jenna Barton and her son, Jared. Jenna is a single mom and it is refreshing to see their relationship working, lots of love and trust there. Otherwise Jenna's behavior is a bit odd because of her best friend's disappearance. That is what keeps the novel interesting. I also liked that the novel was set in Kentucky. I wish there would have been more description about the setting. My only opportunity to travel to Kentucky may be through books. I would recommend this book as a good beach read, entertaining but easily put down for a swim or cold beverages with friends.
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S Dunn, Woodridge IL
Good But Not Great
'Since She Went Away' is a decent suspense novel. It's not the edge-of-your-seat type of mystery that you can't put down but it will hold your interest throughout. I thought it lacked character development in that there were so few descriptions of the main players I had trouble getting a feel for them as more than one-dimensional. Also the dialogue was rather flat - almost all of the interaction was of the "he said" or "she said" variety which made it difficult to picture the scene or to get a feel for the atmosphere. The tone of the novel was fairly even with just a single plot line. Regular mystery readers will figure out "who dunnit" pretty easily although the "why" was a surprise. I would be open to read other books by David Bell as an author can't be judged by just one novel.
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