Wow! This book hooked me from start to finish.

When She's Gone follows main character Cora Valentine's point of view and alternates between a past and present Halloween night. Cora was kidnapped on Halloween night as a teenager and lived to tell the tale. Now in present day, Cora is a mother who finds herself in a similar situation except it is her young daughter who is kidnapped. What's the connection between these two cases?

This book was a quick read for me because I was so engaged and couldn't put it down. While I predicted some of the twists, there were some I absolutely did not see coming. I noticed some minor inconcistencies throughout the book, but I do not feel like these affect the overall plot. I also seriously questioned the main character's decision making, but this is part of what kept me guessing!

This is the first book I've read by this author, but I'm excited to explore some of the other titles. I would definitely recommend this book. It's got mystery, gymnastics, and fall season vibes - what's not to love?

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Rea Frey for a digital advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

WHEN SHE’S GONE was a great thriller by Rea Frey that combines gymnastics, abductions in past and present timelines, and a Halloween setting I loved. This might be my favorite book by Frey!

Cora Valentine was an Olympic gymnast hopeful when she was abducted one night just before Halloween. Decades later, the people who took her have never been found and she’s never regained her sense of safety, which impacts her parenting as she struggles to find a way to parent her daughter Lulu without smothering her. But when Lulu is abducted and the notes Cora receives point back to the kidnapping, Cora is sent on a creepy trail of terrible choices.

This was a thriller that started off fast and never let up the pace. I loved the gymnastics element, being a fan of the Olympics, and the setting on Halloween added a great element too. It’s told in dual timelines, set back when Cora was a teen and an Olympic hopeful and in the present day when her daughter has been taken. Author Rea Frey did an excellent job of keeping the tension high, the demands on Cora, the sense of fear and uncertainty. I had my guesses and I liked that the book kept me guessing about who was behind it and their motivations. 5/5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book from Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for review purposes.

DNF

“In this haunting story that spans three decades, a young gymnast escapes a kidnapping. Years later, she's forced to face the past when her own daughter disappears.”

While the book description was intriguing, sadly i gave up after 47%. I might try to pick it up another day but for now it is DNF.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was the perfect Halloween read! Even though the release is in Jan, I picked the best timing to read this during spooky season. The pacing was fast, except in the middle it started to slow down again before going full speed ahead. The alternating chapters between then and now does a great job at building tension. The motives behind everything lacked a little for me, but overall I enjoyed this thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When you take Halloween, gymnastics and the 90s era and put them together with Rea Frey's writing the end result is an outstanding book that I cannot wait for everyone to read. When former Olympic gymnast returns to her hometown she begins a simple life and keeps her young daughter close and protected. After being kidnapped on Halloween night right before the Olympic trials for the 96 games her life has never been the same. After leaving gymnastics and her family behind Cora felt she left that world and all its trappings for good. Now, in the present, when Cora's daughter disappears on Halloween night she can't help but feel it is all connected. A fast-paced thriller, When She's Gone will twist and turn (no pun intended) and have the reader questioning everything. Frey's writing continues to wow and this is one of her best yet!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you, Thomas & Mercer for the copy of When She’s Gone by Rea Frey. This was a fast-paced, fun thriller and it was fun that it tied in with Halloween. I love gymnastics and I liked that Cora was a former gymnast. The reveal was a surprise, but I didn’t really enjoy it. If you’re looking for a quick read that is engrossing, try this one! 4 stars.

When She's Gone is a fast paced thriller that grabbed me from the start. You are plunged into the action right off the bat, it did fizzle out a little for me, but then picked back up until the smashing conclusion. The tension gradually builds with the alternating NOW & THEN chapters. Trying to figure out what is happening and why whoever has her daughter has kidnapped her.

I liked the characters. They were fun, they were untrustworthy and kept me guessing. The plot was good, it had me on the edge of my seat throughout. There was just a little something missing for me in regards to the motivations behind everything, it just fell a little flat for me and made me roll my eyes a little. It just missed that shock factor for me.

A fun, easy, fast and bingeable read that will keep you flipping those pages. I think it will appeal to a lot of readers, so give it a shot !

✨️Thank you to @thrillerbookloversthepulse @netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and Rea Frey for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dnf at 30%, I tried but it couldn’t get my attention at all, then I would live it and after a few days I needed to reread everything cause I forgot. Not for me I guess.

What a thriller!!! I could not put this one down at all!! As told in dual timelines, it was absolutely full of suspense.. It will get you wondering, who should you trust?!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review!!!

Frey’s latest psychological suspense involves the highly competitive world of elite gymnastics and a kidnapping of a young gymnast who eventually escaped. When years later, her daughter is also kidnapped, she raced against time to figure out who is responsible and how to save her daughter. Although the plot and ending were a little bit of a stretch at times, this was an entertaining read. I especially liked the glimpse into the gymnastics world.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I could not stop thinking about this story when I was not reading. I loved the alternating Then and Now chapters. Cora Valentine was kidnapped at the age of fourteen right before Olympic Gymnastic trials. The Then chapters take the reader through her kidnapping and escape, while the Now chapters follow her 30 years later, when her four- year-old daughter is kidnapped in a similar way on the anniversary of Cora’s kidnapping.

In my opinion, the story is more of a psychological thriller - more about the anticipation of what we think will happen then what actually occurs. Graphic events are described, but end up being much less gory. I appreciated this fact very much.

This book was another enjoyable read from the author. The storyline kept the reader page turning to find what happens next. Thrown into the story was some timely suspense and interesting twists and turns. This is a book which I would recommend to all who enjoy a good mystery.

Wow! Did not see that ending coming!

I love Rea Freya books. They are always so good and she pulls at your heartstrings. You feel the emotions of the characters and feel like you are right there in the middle of the story.

If you have never read this author you are truly missing out.

When She's Gone is an edge of your seat thriller showing the lengths a mother will go to for her child. When Cora's daughter is kidnapped, her morals and loyalty are put to the test as she's required to kidnap and injure someone else's child. Is Cora the victim of an elaborate scheme and is it related to what happened to her decades ago when she herself was kidnapped?

If you loved The Chain, you'll definitely enjoy When She's Gone. It's quite different but some of the premise has similar vibes. I liked the dual timelines, the recurring Halloween theme, and following Cora as she tries to find her daughter. It was suspenseful and the pacing was really well done. If you read a lot of thrillers, some things may jump out at you, but I'm sure some readers will be surprised and enjoy the twists and turns this novel offers.

Overall, this book kept me flipping pages as I needed to know where it was going and what would happen. I liked how Cora's past was entwining with her present and it was hard to know who to trust.

Everyone at The Pulse has been talking about this book for weeks - many devouring it in a single setting! If you need a bingeworthy read, look no further!

Book Name: When She's Gone
Author: Rea Frey @reafreyauthor
Pubdate:Jan 14th /2025
Publisher: Thomas and Mercer
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Thank you to #NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC copy!

Summary:
Cora Valentine, a former gymnast with Olympic dreams, had her life shattered when she was kidnapped on Halloween. Despite her safe return, no one was ever caught, and her identity became that of a victim rather than an athlete. Years later, now a mother, Cora is determined to leave the past behind. But on Halloween, four years after her daughter's birth, history repeats itself when her little girl is kidnapped. To save her, Cora must make an unthinkable choice—to take another child. The kidnapper from Cora's past isn’t done with her, but Cora won’t stop until her daughter is home, no matter what it takes.

My Thoughts:

This is the first book I’ve read by Rea Frey, and it absolutely blew my mind. When She’s Gone is a heart-pounding, gripping mystery thriller that kept me turning the pages nonstop. I finished it in just five hours because I literally couldn’t put it down!

From the beginning, the story's pace had me on edge. The tension builds as Frey masterfully alternates between the "now" and "then" timelines, making it impossible to breathe as the suspense escalates. I was horror-struck by the dark and spooky atmosphere, and just when I thought I had figured out the kidnapper, Frey pulled out twists that completely surprised me.

The characters, especially Cora and Lennon, were brilliantly developed, and I loved following their journeys. The book also touches on the politics of sports, which hit close to home for me, making it even more impactful.

When She's Gone is a chilling, unputdownable read—perfect for any fan of horror, mystery, and thrillers. I highly recommend it!

Cora Valentine is an Olympian hopeful. Gymnastics is her life… until she is kidnapped one day and becomes known as a victim, despite her safe return. Now years later, her daughter is kidnapped.

I was hooked on this one immediately. It grabs you right away. The chapters switched between timelines but both were equally exciting. It felt like whiplash going back and forth; in a good way! I did have an idea of who was involved, but I wasn’t entirely correct and there were surprises along the way. I also loved the gymnastics background.

“No more games. No more trying to outsmart anyone. I just want to bring my daughter home.”

When She’s Gone comes out 1/14.

When She’s Gone by Rea Frey

Cora’s worst nightmare has come true; her little girl, Lulu has been kidnapped on Halloween night. Could this be related to what happened to Cora on the same night 30 years ago, when she was also abducted?

I was hooked from the very first chapter and could not wait to find out what happens next.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two kidnappings 30 years apart connected by the world of Olympic gymnast hopefuls.

Rea Frey was able to create a wonderfully done and suspenseful novel in this book. It uses the three decades element perfectly to tell the story and I cared about what was going on. The characters worked well in this genre and was invested in what was going on. It had me guessing what was going on and enjoyed the journey.

I was very disappointed by this thriller. The half of the book where she was kidnapped felt like filler and could have been mostly deleted. I also thought the fictionalized gymnastics was an odd choice as a lot of us remember the team led by Shannon Miller well.