Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. A heart pounding suspense that will keep you turning the pages. Well written.

This is the 2nd book by Rea Frey I've read and boy was it a totally different read!
This one's a suspense thriller about a former Olympic champion gymnast who was once kidnapped on Halloween night as a teenager and has PTSD from it. Fast forward 30yrs and her young daughter goes missing right in front of her on Halloween. The story is a dual timeline with the 'then' all about the past kidnapping and the 'now' in which we follow Cora as she follows the clues in order to find her daughter.
I very much found the 'now' to be far more interesting than the 'then'. The former was engaging and kept you engaged as she follows the clues and slowly starts to unravel the onion. I did find it unrealistic how much they cram into just the one night though
All in all an engaging and twisty read (although none were shockers tbh) but the pace of the book kept it interesting and if you enjoy gymnastics then there's quite a bit of it in this. Bonus fact the author was a competitive gymnast so it's quite factually correct.

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of the book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is one where I had to suspend disbelief in order to fully enjoy the story. The description reminded me a bit of "The Chain," a woman's child is kidnapped, and in order to get her child back, she has to kidnap another. That is where the similarities ended, and this took a completely different turn. While this was unrealistic at times, it didn't bother me like it might others. I really liked how this conveyed how strong a mother's bond with her child is and the lengths they will go to in order to protect them. This was page-turning, engaging, and shocking. I give this one three and a half stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Thomas, and Mercer for this ARC.

When She’s Gone by Rea Frey is a gripping psychological thriller that dives deep into trauma, motherhood, and the long-lasting effects of a past that refuses to stay buried. Cora Valentine, once a rising star in athletics, is kidnapped on Halloween and becomes a symbol of victimhood. Years later, after attempting to move on with her daughter, the past resurfaces with a devastating twist. When her own child is taken, Cora must face her worst fears and take extreme measures to get her back. Frey expertly weaves tension, emotional depth, and unexpected twists in this fast-paced, heart-pounding read that explores the lengths a mother will go to for her child.

When She's Gone by Rea Frey is a thriller set against the backdrop of Olympic gymnastics in the 90s. Based on that alone, I am apt to forgive many, many weaknesses the book might have and be entertained by this popcorn thriller. It's basically a compendium of my favorite things, and I am willing to suspend believe for some of the weaker plot elements for the entertainment factor.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

🤸Book Review🤸
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Summary- Cora Valentine has her whole life—and a shot at the Olympics—ahead of her. But when she’s kidnapped on Halloween, her name is splashed across headlines not as an athlete but as a victim. Not even her safe return changes that, especially since no one is caught for the crime.
Hounded by the public, Cora’s time as a missing girl and member of the Magnificent Eight has its consequences. Years later, when Cora has her own daughter, she’s determined to leave the past behind for a better life. Her daughter will never face those fears. And Cora will never face them again.
But four years later, on Halloween, the past comes knocking.
Now, Cora’s daughter is gone, and to get her back, Cora must take someone else’s child.
Clearly, whoever took her all those years ago isn’t done with her yet…but as long as they have her daughter, Cora’s not done with them either.
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts- I read this one chasing the Olympics high from the favorites, boy was I a bit disappointed. This one started off really strong but quickly fell off the rails. It’s based on her trauma of being kidnapped at a haunted house ? How and why? Never answered lol. She escapes her kidnapping in day, a pretty amazing feat. Then her daughter also gets kidnapped in a revenge kidnapping, and she is forced to kidnap another child of her former teammate. It’s just wildly preposterous but I did finish it. Sorry for the unhinged review, I’m nothing if not honest! 🤣
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QOTD- what was your last read that disappointed you ?
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A book that takes place in the 90s and is about gymnastics and is a psychological thriller? YES PLEASE!!! All of my favorite things. This was an incredibly easy read -= and I was unable to figure out what the mystery twist was. I kept saying, "one more chapter, one more chapter" because this book was VERY effective at going back and forth in time (one chapter for one chapter) and the reader was left trying to figure out the thread that might connect the two times.

I definitely enjoyed this easy read! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank youThomas & Mercer / Netgalley, #partner, for the advanced copy of When She’s Gone in exchange for my honest review.

Another winner from Rea Frey!!! There is something about books that focus on elite athletes that I cannot walk away from. This time it’s gymnastics and fun fact – it’s one of my favorite sports to watch during the Olympics. I’ve been obsessed with it ever since seeing a movie about Nadia Comaneci when I slept at my Nana’s after my own gymnastics class. ⁣
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This book was not at all what I expected, but in such a good way. I loved the dual-timeline and how it helped put the pieces together of Cora’s past with that of what was happening in the present. The story moves at a breakneck pace and you cannot help but binge this popcorn thriller, needing to know how it all resolves. The suspense is high and with the story being set around Halloween, it only adds to the tension.

This story about a mother's worst fears are coming true was fast paced and enjoyable, even though you do need to suspend disbelief for part of it. I loved the tie-in of the 90s and gymnastics, and the Halloween setting added a bit more to the creepy factor of the story overall. The author sheds a little light on the competitive world of athletes, specifically gymnasts, and may leave the weirder questioning just how far a parent would go for their child. There are a number of suspects, as well as twists, to keep the reader guessing.

This is another book worthy of all the buzz that it's getting from everyone over at The Pulse @thrillerbookloversthepulse!

This story grabbed me from the very first page! I loved the dual timelines, and I was kept on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how far Cora was willing to go in order to get her daughter back. This was such a twisty read, and I was kept guessing as to who the kidnapper was and how this would all be resolved!

I highly recommend this to all my fellow thriller lovers!

Probably one of the most unrealistic books I’ve read? I can suspend belief for the purpose of a good story but this plot was a mess.
There were so many gaps for the sake of making a fast paced, cat and mouse type chase that it all just became too much and I was picking and dissecting more than I was engaging.
Normally, Frey’s books are a big hit for me, but this one just did not tick that box.

I know I'm always going to get a great story with a few surprises along the way when I read a Rea Frey book. This novel tugged at my maternal heartstrings and also kept me off balance with the array of possible suspects. Well-written, a unique plot, and intriguing characters narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya made this audiobook a joy to listen to and kept me immersed in the story right up to the shocking conclusion.

When She’s Gone was a fun popcorn thriller! I really loved the Olympic gymnastic backdrop of this story and had a lot of fun reading. I could spot the reveal a mile away but still would recommend.

It's another riveting read from Rea Frey. For Cora Valentine, Halloween is a disaster waiting to happen.

The narrative is in Then and Now sections. Then is the Halloween when 14-year-old Cora was kidnapped from a haunted house. That experience has never left her even though she has been able to achieve her goals in gymnastics and has a beautiful daughter. In the Now chapters that beautiful daughter Lulu has gone missing -- also on Halloween. On top of that Cora is receiving clues on red cards that are taking her on a wild goosechase. It is a race against time to get Lulu back.

While I thought the gymnastic aspect of the narrative was very strong -- 5 stars! The kidnapping plot and resolution had too many plot holes. It seemed like characters were appearing and disappearing in less than logical sequences at times. Not my favorite read from Rea Frey, but definitely kept me engaged!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Reading 2025
Book 13: When She's Gone by Rea Frey

Thank you #NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book for my Kindle in exchange for a review.

Synopsis: 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.

Review: A popcorn thriller that will keep the reader turning the pages. Not sure that this book is going to stand out in my mind amidst the 2025 year of thrillers to come. It was over the top, and predictable. It was a bit different as the theme of Olympic level sports was portrayed with actual names from the 1996 Atlanta games. The reader knows from the jump the two possible perpetrators, and that pans out as the story reaches it ending. There were elements from other thrillers I have read that caused me to roll my eyes as well as the teen drama of it all. My rating 3⭐️

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer books for this ARC for review. This is my 2nd book by Rea Frey, but will definitely not be my last!! This author knows how to write a good story! Cora Valentine is an amazing gymnast and then she is kidnapped on Halloween and all she is known for is being a is victim. She is returned safely, but she is still known as a kidnapping victim from that night. Cora is still haunted by that night as they never found who kidnapped her. Years later, Cora has her own daughter and she is reliving the nightmare again. Cora’s daughter has been taken and now Cora is being forced to taken someone’s else’s daughter to get hers back. Who took her that Halloween night and why are torturing her again?? This thriller was engaging and kept me guessing until the very end! This is an author that I will need to read more it and they can definitely deliver an excellent story

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and Rea Fray for this read!

ANOTHER thrilling read from Rea. Honestly I love her work - no matter which genre she writes.

This book was totally bingeable. I was without a doubt enthralled by the story. The plot was twisted and had a few surprises along the way. It was told through THEN and NOW timelines, which I loved. I felt so much for Cora, our protagonist, and felt nervous as the book got further and further along.

The letters and messages were spooky and the book had many possible suspects! The ending was wild and I think Rea tied it up amazingly.

Fast paced, unsettling, nerve wracking and at times spooky - this book ties together gymnastics, old friendships, unsolved cases & twists!

BOOK: WHEN SHE'S GONE
AUTHOR: REA FREY
PUB DATE: JANUARY, 2025
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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I'm so sorry, but this book was a disappointment. It was like a B-rate, cheap flick movie and kinda stupid. I had high hopes coming into this book, but I was really, really disappointed.
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I liked the setting of the book with the FMC being a gymnast and everything. The beginning was okay because I was just getting the hang of the book. But, it fell really short when the culprit was revealed and what Cora herself was doing during that time.
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It was unrealistic and somehow. But, I was able to finish it

When She's Gone by Rea Frey is a very intense, suspenseful thriller. The book follows two timelines, one in the present day as Cora searches for her daughter and another in the past when she was kidnapped as a young teenager. It was very fast paced, very intense. I could not put it down. This was an entertaining read, I really enjoyed it.
Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

When She's Gone by Rea Frey is a completely addictive thriller and cured me of my reading slump!
It was amazing. The writing incredible. The story line was wild. The ending phenomenal