Frankie Elkin arrives in Boston in search of Angelique Badeau, a 15 year old Haitian refugee who went missing eleven months earlier. That is what Frankie does - searches for missing persons that no one is looking for anymore - police, media, and even family. Frankie has a history of alcoholism but finds a job in a tavern in a rough Boston neighborhood - where a middle-aged white woman is out of place. She starts asking questions, first to Angelique’s family and then to the Boston PD. She is met with skepticism from both quarters but is persistent, eventually forming a relationship with Detective Dan Lotham who had originally caught the case. Lotham urges Frankie to back off, but that is not going to happen - her questions will lead to a conspiracy that will threaten everyone involved - the family, friends and Frankie. This is the first standalone novel by Gardner (best known for her FBI Profiler and Detective D.D. Warren series) in nearly two decades (although it could certainly serve as the forerunner to another series). The book moves along at a great pace and will keep you guessing until the very end. Frankie is an interesting protagonist who will win you over. My thanks to Penguin Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to review the ARC of this book

It is not secret that I am a fan of Lisa Gardner. I have read every book she has ever written and published, including those written under Alicia Scott. So you would think I am extremely biased, but I assure you I am not. If I don’t like a book, I will definitely tell you. She has had a few that I didn’t love as much as others and said so. Before She Disappeared is a new favorite.

The story follows Frankie Elkin who is probably my favorite Lisa Gardner character now. I am a huge fan of her D.D. Warren books, but Frankie is such a free spirit that is so tormented. She travels the country searching for the lost and missing that no one else seems to want to find anymore. She is seriously haunted by her past and seems to be chasing something to make up for whatever has happened before.

She is looking for Angelique who went missing after school one day. As she digs, we become friends with her boss Stoney at the local watering hole, the detective on the case, local Dunkin Donuts staff, and some community members. I don’t know what it was, but I absolutely love all of them. I think their stories are fascinating and the community support is interesting. Even though they are all from different areas, when it comes to finding a missing girl from their neighborhood, almost everyone is willing to ignore the fact that it’s a middle aged white woman asking questions around their highly ethnic neighborhood. She’s an outsider, but one that could help them.

The mystery itself had me flipping pages almost faster than I could read. I needed to know what was happening next. There’s a little love story you are cheering on while Frankie is literally walking around Boston to find this missing girl that nobody is really looking for anymore. Almost instantly she stirs up interest in her by asking the right questions to the right people. There is so much tension throughout this book it definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Lisa Gardner is known for her impeccable story telling and Before She Disappeared surpassed all my expectations for this book. It was dirty, gritty, scary (at times), suspenseful, hopeful, and kind of sad. I experienced every aspect of feelings you can imagine. I love these characters and I’m hopeful Gardner will write more stories about Frankie Elkin and her search for missing girls. We learned so much about her life and now I want to know more.

If you love thriller novels and haven’t read a Lisa Gardner book, I am not sure what rock you have been living under. There are a ton of great stories from her, but check out Before She Disappeared first. You will absolutely not be able to put it down. I devoured it and am wanting more.

This was my first Lisa Gardner book. I enjoyed her plotting of the story, as there were twists and turns I wouldn't have guessed. She definitely did her research on Boston's Haitian community. 4 out of 5 stars from me.

I have very conflicting feelings about this book. I really wanted to like it. I've read Lisa Gardner books before and have enjoyed them and seeing all the already high ratings gave me high expectations, but for some reason, I struggled to get into this book. As a result of my struggle to get into it and some things that made me uncomfortable, I ultimately left this book as a rare DNF.

First I'll start with what I liked:
- I liked that this book highlighted some of the problems with our policing system, specifically as it relates to people of color.
- The plot of the book was successful in pulling me in. I like a good mystery and I found myself wanting to know what happened and how everything was going to unfold.
- The story was well written.
- This book truly had a lot of the necessities to make a good thriller, which is probably part of why it has been highly rated so far.

What I didn't like:
- There were undertones of a white savior troupe that made me uncomfortable. I have to give the disclaimer that since this book was a DNF for me, this is something that could have been tied into the plot at some point. But ultimately, right of the bat, this was the thing that made me the most uncomfortable and ultimately why I stopped. The idea of a white savior is even referenced by characters several times, but the main character's joking, "who says I'm not the one who needs saving" (or something along those lines), was not enough to banish the discomfort of the white savior troupe attached to the book. The main character charismatically stating that she is not a white savior does not make it so.
- I also didn't particularly find the main character relatable and I was skeptical of her belief that people would talk to her (a middle-aged, out of town, white woman) just because she wasn't police.

I don't particularly like DNF'ing books, especially ones that I'm reviewing, but unfortunately the issues I mentioned led me to a point where I ultimately threw in the towel. I seem to be in a minority, as a lot of people have rated this favorably, so it could very possibly be my professional and educational background that have shaped my views.

Fast paced and immediately addictive. I did not realize this was Lisa Gardner‘s first stand alone book in years. I was immediately drawn to our main character and her nomadic lifestyle. She’s using her addictive personality in the best way possible, to help others.

If you’re a fan of a good detective story, a cold case, and a lot of action and intrigue, this book might be for you. Another excellent addition from Gardner.

Thank you NetGalley Penguin Group Dutton Dutton for this amazing ARC. This was my 12th Lisa Gardner novel but my 1st Frankie Elkin story. So GOOD!!!! I don’t want it to be over.

This is yet another wonderful mystery/suspense novel from Lisa Gardner. This time a stand alone.

Frankie Elkin is a recovering alcoholic who travels from city to city as a civilian who helps solve unsolved disappearances. Although she’s white and middle-aged, many of the people she helps find are young women of color. She has traded her hard drinking for another addiction—living out of a backpack and only staying in one place long enough to find the missing.

This time Frankie heads to Boston where a fifteen-year-old girl, a wonderful student and a Haitian immigrant whose legal status to stay in the U.S. is about to run out, has been missing for almost a year. People are sometimes more willing to talk to her than they are to someone carrying a badge, but she also doesn’t have the protections a cop would have like, say for example, a gun. As a white woman in a black neighborhood, she’s very noticeable, especially when she starts asking questions.

This is fast-paced and a lot of fun. Recommend.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES JANUARY 19, 2021.

Lisa Gardner has once again written a book that will stay with you.

It took me a while to embrace Frankie's character, a loner who goes around the country solving missing persons cases for free. But as Gardner revealed all her flaws, soft spots and sense of humor, I fell in love with her.

This is a well researched book with a lot going on. Where to start? The descriptions of the Boston neighborhood where the story takes place are gritty and raw. It was like looking out through a GoPro fastened to Frankie's head as she walked through the dangerous streets (at night!). There was a great awareness of technological innovations that formed the basis for multiple paths the story might have taken. The missing girls, the bar owner with a heart of gold, and the cop who comes to respect Frankie's skills, as well as the rest of the characters are well developed and each is slotted into the narrative perfectly. While there were many times I had to suspend disbelief, I still very much enjoyed the story, the dialogue and the total immersion in the culture and environment of one Boston neighborhood.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for an advanced reader's copy for review.

My rating: 4-1/2 stars! I have loved and enjoyed Lisa Gardner's DD Warren's books from start to finish. This book is no exception! I thoroughly enjoyed it and, like other reviewers, am hoping that it becomes a series. I enjoyed the rich detail this author has for her books. Whether we are talking about the landscape of Boston, to her her very feisty, brutally honest characterization of Frankie ...to her understanding of the trials and tribulations of being an addict. Gardner's writing is sharp, detailed and her one liners are such a comic relief. This book can be read as a standalone, with no cliffhangers ... which, unfortunately ... seems to be the norm these days.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review of this book!

Frankie Elkins travels the country finding missing people that the authorities have stopped looking for as her way of coping with the alcoholic demons inside her. This time she takes on a Haitian neighborhood of Boston to look for Angelique Badeau, a teenage girl missing for 11 months. As Frankie slowly wins the trust of the predominantly Black community and local police, she uncovers a sinister operation much bigger than a simple kidnapping.

This is Lisa Gardner’s first stand alone book in many years and was very hard to put down. I could see it becoming a new series.

That to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Before She Disappeared was my first Lisa Gardner book and it was certainly a wild ride. I don’t typically read crime related thrillers/suspense books, but I’m glad I gave this one a chance.

Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner sheds light on the continuous disregard of BIPOC missing persons cases. Especially immigrants. Especially females.

Look, I don’t keep up to date on missing persons cases, but I can tell you that the ones that come to mind for me are white females from affluent neighborhoods. I couldn’t name a single case involving a female BIPOC. Maybe that’s just me? But I don’t think it is.

This book had me hooked after a few chapters and while it isn’t a true story, the elements are based in reality and that’s heartbreaking to realize.

Frankie Elkin is a recovering alcoholic who has been living a nomadic lifestyle since a tragic accident ten years ago. She has dedicated her life to search for BIPOC female missing persons. Being a middle-aged white woman, Frankie is not often welcome by locals. Her current case brings her to the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston to locate a teen, Angelique Badeau, that went missing after school nearly a year prior. The case spirals out of control as we come to find out that Angelique isn’t the only missing teen in this case.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked that it touched on BIPOC missing persons and how so often they are overlooked by the system, especially when it comes to immigrants. Though, I do feel like we never really learned why those were the cases Frankie chose to investigate.

I also liked the overall way the book played out. The first few chapters were really slow for me, then I couldn’t put it down. The detail made me feel like I was watching a crime drama. More than once I caught myself thinking, “I can’t wait to watch the next episode.” 😅

I look forward to seeing if Lisa Gardner decides to make a series out of Frankie Elkin.

This is the first Lisa Gardner book that I’ve read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love detective mysteries, and this one was just perfect, but without the main character as a detective. Frankie Elkin, a vigilante on the hunt for missing persons arrives in Massachusetts to find Angelique Badeau, a now sixteen year old girl that’s been missing for nearly a year. The local police have all but given up, but when Frankie begins finding clues immediately upon her arrival, the case reopens and the hunt is on.

While this book is a suspense book, it gives a great look into cultures that are not often written about. The Haitian culture that is prominent in Boston is a main focal point in this novel. Gardner incorporates traditions, food, and other qualities of Haitian culture into a novel involving mystery, disappearances, and manipulation.

I also like Gardner’s main character, Frankie. She is flawed by many things, most notably her alcoholism. Gardner doesn’t sugarcoat the flaws of the narrator which I enjoyed. Frankie is on full display and unapologetic about her flaws.

Gardner has a great way of keeping the reader guessing until the end. I went back and forth on my suspicions of what happened to Angelique, who she was involved with, and why she was missing. It wasn’t until about 3/4 of the way through the book that I finally figured it out – almost at the same time the main character did. I couldn’t put this book down when I was reading and it only took me two days to finish. Definitely a must read for those who love thrillers, mysteries, and suspense.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced copy of this book!

Frankie Elkin spends her life looking for missing people, not professionally, but as her personal mission. Her latest quest brings her to a tough section of Boston, where a girl went missing almost a year ago, and the trail has gone cold. The book’s protagonist is dealing with a ton of guilt, is a recovering alcoholic, and is absolutely driven to trying to locate missing people whose cases have gone cold. This is a definite page-turner, and is more of a crime mystery than thriller. Great characters, and the author does a fantastic job of setting the scene, as I felt like I was right there with Frankie - in the neighborhood, the bar, wherever the story went, which really helps you get wrapped up in the book. Plot got a little muddled at times, but it all pulled together. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review..

A recovering alcoholic with a knack for solving cold cases, Frankie Elkin takes her talent of asking the right questions to Boston to find a teenager that seemingly disappeared into thin air eleven months ago.

I love Lisa Gardner, who once again delivered a dark, twisty, and incredibly smart story with a new character I hope to see more of. I have to admit, knowing this was going to take place in Boston gave me high hopes that Frankie’s path would cross with D.D. Warren or Flora Dane’s in one way or another, and while I still prefer Flora over Frankie, this new character was fresh and interesting, and the story kept me guessing up to the end.

Frankie Elkin is a recovering alcoholic who tries to absolve her guilt and regret over an incident ten years ago by solving missing persons cases after they've gone cold. She had already successfully solved 16 cases and finds her next case in a poor neighborhood in Boston. Angelique went missing from her school 11 months ago without a trace. Detective Lotham has never forgotten Angelique's case and is suspicious and frustrated with Frankie's unwanted help. But Frankie has a way of convincing families and witnesses to give her information and doesn't have to follow the restrictive policies of the police. She soon finds new evidence and the detective starts to use her help. But when another girl goes missing and Frankie herself finds her life threatened, she becomes even more desperate to solve the case before it's too late.
I really like the idea of an amateur sleuth solving cold cases. This could become a really good series. Frankie is such a complex character, fighting her own demons while trying to help others. I really enjoyed this book.
Thank you to Lisa Gardner and Penguin Group Dutton for the opportunity to read this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Frankie Elkin, a middle aged recovering alcoholic, searches for missing people after everyone else has given up. Her talent for asking the right questions brings her to Boston and the disappearance of a fifteen year old girl. I enjoyed this new character and her search on the troubled streets of Boston. Fueled by a fierce determination, she refuses to give up even when her life is threatened. Her daily battle to remain sober was an inside look into precarious world of addiction. I hope we see more of Frankie Elkin and her searches for the missing and forgotten.

What a special book. Wow. I rarely read thrillers and I went into this one assuming it would be the conventional thriller. Boy was I wrong. It is a beautifully crafted, incredibly written novel that happens to have a disappearance mystery at its center. Every character was artfully written, and the prose was simply beautiful. Gardner kept me interested and engaged and kept me guessing until the very end. I will definitely recommend this book!

I really enjoy Lisa Gardner and was super pleased with this new book! Frankie searches for cold case missing girls across the nation. Her story was heartbreaking, her fortitude strong and I loved this book! Frankie arrives in "Boston to search for Angelique Nassau. This is an exciting start to what I hope will be a new series for Lisa. I finished in a day, and highly recommend for mystery/thriller folks. Thankful for the ARC!

Lisa Gardner books never disappoint and once again she wrote an amazing mystery that kept me intrigued. I also love the characters in her books. They are relatable and make you root for them from beginning to end.

This was my first Lisa Gardner book so I wasn't sure what exactly to expect. The synopsis sounded great and my interest in "true crime", mysteries, and arm-chair-esque sleuthing put this at the top of my TBR. Unfortunately, I DNF this at 25%. I liked the mystery, I liked that it addressed the poor attention given to disappearances of minorities, and am truly curious how it all unfolded. What I could not get past was the main character: it felt too much like white saviorism, while the book highlighted POC disappearances the MC was constantly addressing the "lack of safety" in these (non-white) neighborhoods, among a few other issues. I found myself trying to force myself to continue reading for the sake of providing a full review which is not who I want to be as a reader.

That being said, the mystery really intrigued me and I can see the draw of Lisa Gardner as a writer. I'm sure many others will enjoy this book it just wasn't for me.