𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆.

This book grabbed my attention immediately and didn't let go. Told in dual timelines, this is the deeply emotional story of Beatrice “Beans” Bennett (how she got her nickname made my little black heart skip a beat) and her struggle with losing her mom at 15 and then coping with an eating disorder that became known as ED. The author managed to make ED another character in the book as this awful disease took on a life of its own.

Beatrice is a practicing psychiatrist, and she gets a call from a new client requesting an early morning appointment. The nervous woman shows up long enough to tell Beatrice that her mother is still alive and in danger and then flees. Beatrice's world is turned upside down as she travels to New York City after finding out that her mother was involved with a notorious family that owns a giant drug company that is largely responsible for the opioid crisis. The mother than Beatrice thought she knew becomes a distant memory as she uncovers more and more about her mother's past.

This was a superbly paced, tense thriller, but it was also a deep dive into exploring just how well we know our parents and the many unknown sacrifices they make to keep us safe. The author makes full disclosure, and I'm reminding you here, that anorexia nervosa is an integral part of the storyline, so be aware of potential triggers. A huge thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for my early copy. This book will publish February 6, 2024.

Nice book, nothing too exciting, pleasant read, happy ending-nice romance, sad loss, all in all quite good

Here’s the thing about Sagit Schwartz's SINCE SHE’S BEEN GONE. I knew it would be a great thriller because of her professional experience as a storyteller. The advanced praise she’s received has been fab too.

SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE is full of all the right twists and turns and it offers a very unexpected, yet satisfying ending.

But what makes this book stand out is its psychological angle. The main character has an eating disorder, and through the novel, we are taken deep inside her mind and past experiences to understand what it looks like and feels like to live with this disease. I was truly blown away by what I learned about the struggles of this type of addiction. Sagit writes in an honest and compassionate way, and it brings new insights about this disorder that many people, young women in particular, face.

This is a captivating, fast-paced, keeps-you-guessing-until-the-end thriller that stayed with me long after I finished the book.

If any of what I am sharing resonates with you, then definitely pre-order this book!

Thank you too @crookedlanebooks for the advanced reader copy.

Since She's Been Gone is a slow burn novel that blends the opioid crisis with counselors. They always say the best therapist is a former addict...

Beans is a recovering anorexic who keeps her pain inside. She has a deep rooted relationship with ED (eating disorder).

When Beans is given life changing news, she has a choice, follow it and find the truth or ignore her past? When her disorder gets in the way of finding the truth, is it possible she can actually crack open addictions at their core?

For fans of uncovering the Sackler's and their dirty, addictive money combined with true-crime.

"Since She's Been Gone" really delved into the topic of eating disorders. While the heavy subject matter might be a trigger for some, I appreciated the amount of research that went into the story. The plot was straightforward, but I found myself really connecting with the main character, Beans. The author did a great job of showing both sides of the disorder, from Bean's perspective as a child and as an adult. I especially enjoyed the way the story toggled back and forth between these two timelines. It helped to keep the pace moving and added depth to the storyline. However, I was a bit disappointed with the ending. It just didn't have the same impact as the rest of the book. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a deeper story, but be warned, it's definitely not a light beach read. Just be aware of the heavy subject matter before diving in.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I always thought I was a person who could ignore pretty much all trigger warnings. So, if you’re like me please don’t do that with this book. This book was HEAVYYY but in the end I did think it was so worth it.

If you are a Lucinda Berry fan, I think this is a PERFECT recommendation for you.

I was rooting for this main character more than I have probably rooted for most. This book also had me experiencing SO MANY dang emotions. I was angry, I was happy, I was SAD. I seriously think this is in my top 5 hardest cries for books… and it’s a thriller?? That’s how you know the book was good.

This was a great debut novel and I can’t wait to read more by this author.

Abit more eating disorder and drug content than I prefer but overall a solid book. It crossed genres for me but I can see the mystery element substantial to stand on. The writing was abit choppy throughout for me which hindered a good reading pace and flow yet it was an interesting read. I wanted more of her past and the present didn't appeal as much - hope this author keeps writing as I think future books will expound on her true ability as an author. This one felt very personal and again, the eating disorder isn't something I'd normally pick up to read but this author is on Tik Tok and I was curious thus my request. Glad I read it. It did take me awhile to read but well done effort.

Omg I raced thru this book! It has a very intricate plot and the character depth is amazing! You will NOT want to miss this debut!!

Since She’s Been Gone has stayed on my mind since I finished it – the testament of a great crime read. The struggle of main character Beatrice “Beans” with her eating disorder (who she calls ED), and the ruthlessness of a drug company responsible for an opioid epidemic and what they will do to protect their mega-cash cow is so very real, it’s scary. The story is narrated in dual-timeline, and it starts with clinical psychologist Beans meeting a new patient. This patient claims that Bean’s mother is still alive and in danger. But how can that be? Her mother died in hit-and-run accident when Beans was just fifteen, and this was the catalyst for her life-threatening eating disorder, and later, the reason for her career pathway. But now, Beans has to track her mother’s past to uncover the truth. That quest and the secrets she uncovers catapults her and those she loves into grave danger.
Since She’s Been Gone is a fast-moving realistic thriller. Beans’s journey is tumultuous, heartfelt, filled with loss but also hope, and the story informs of different addictions – food restriction and opioid drugs – with a deft touch. Highly recommend this book to lovers of psychological thriller–psychological suspense novels.

Really interesting book, the plot reminds me of "Empire of Pain" but in fiction version, which I appreciate because we need to talk more about it.

This book was ok but if you're triggered by eating disorders, I will warn you not to read. I enjoyed the storyline of her "past" but not so much the current. It felt like it was breaching reality at times and not in a way a mystery book should.

Grateful to have received an ARC of Sagit Schwarz’s debut thriller SINCE SHE’S BEEN GONE. This fast-paced, suspenseful book pulled me in from the start. I was rooting for Beatrice in dual time, both as a motherless teen struggling with an eating disorder and as a grown-up therapist searching for the truth behind her mother’s death. A twisty, compelling story about secrets and addiction, SINCE SHE’S BEEN GONE is ultimately a tale of the redemptive and unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter.

Thank you to Sagit Schwartz for this ARC, as well as Netgalley. I could not put this book down. The heroines flaws were so flushed out and realistic, I felt like I was inside her head. While the story itself is thrilling and captivating, it is told through the lens of a complicated human dealing with deeply personal issues like the death of a parent and ED recovery. It was very well handled. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends.

I was a little surprised by all the eating disorder content but I was okay with it. I liked the flipping between her teenage years and the present day when she was asked to help find a woman's mother. It really did a good job of mixing mental health issues with a suspenseful mystery.

This book comes with trigger warnings. If you are sensitive to eating disorders or drug use, you will need to skip.
This book has a dual time line as you slowly unwind the emotional damage and mystery.
This was a very interesting book. You get to look at ED and how it effects people. I love that the author didn’t just glaze over things at the end to make it completely roses and butterflies. She gives you a realistic look behind the disease.
The mystery and journey that the main character goes on kept me interested and guessing.
I would recommend this book to anyone.

I didn’t enjoy this book. The description was enticing and maybe the first 10 minutes of the novel, but after that it became lame and unbelievable. I read almost half the book because the flashbacks from the rehab center were very good, but the present day storyline was not.

This book was so fast paced and bingey that I finished it in one sitting (honestly!). There is strong eating disorder related content, so if you’re sensitive to that topic, this probably isn’t the book for you. That said, I really enjoyed being along for the ride, even if I had to suspend belief just a bit. Definitely recommended for thriller fans!

I didn't like the writing style of this at all. There was no suspense, just a great deal of 'telling'. this happened and then this happened and then this happened.
DNF

For a debut novel this is exceptionally good. Told in a dual time line and set in Los Angeles and New York City Beatrice known as Ben's I thought was a fabulous character, she lost her mother at 15 years of age and this then led her to develop an eating disorder that really took over her life which eventually led her onto her path to become a clinical psychologist.

One day a patient arrives in her rooms and tells Beans that her mother is still actually alive, This person comes from a background of a criminal family invested in the distribution of opioids. and insists that Bens mum was trapped in their world earlier in their life. She is told she is running out of time to get answers and save her mum and Beans will do anything she has to find out if her mum is alive and what she can do to help bring her back to her...

This is a great mystery that takes you in with all the suspence based on both fact and fiction which is rare in a novel like this but it is that which sets this book apart from others. A great read that kept me captivated throughout. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

This is a unique thriller that will hold your interest from the opening chapter to the very end. It is not often that a mystery also delivers information but this book helps us begin to understand eating disorders and what a serious, life-altering mental health issue it is for those afflicted. The story also delivers twists and a look at a mother's love that led me to shed some tears! What an amazing debut from an author with so much talent that I cannot wait to read her next book (but first I am excited to see this publish next year!). Highly recommend!