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.

I totally chose this by the cover. Wanting a spooky season read; I see this and then the description and I was in. When She's Gone is my first novel by Frey. I enjoyed it. Taking place on Halloween, the novel takes place during the course of one night. Often going back and forth to a Halloween years' past when main Character Cora was kidnapped to now, when her daughter was also kidnapped. I did figure things out about 40% in but it was well put together

Cora Valentine’s life as a young, talented gymnast with a shot at the Olympics suddenly comes crashing down when she is kidnapped while celebrating Halloween with friends. The news headlines focusing on her as a victim rather than a talented athlete continue even after her safe return.
Cora’s life would never be the same. The newspapers and public hounded her not as the talented athlete she was but because she was a member of the Magnificent Eight.
Forced to leave her past behind her several years later the unthinkable happened one Halloween eve when her daughter was taken from her as they were enjoying the festivities together. The kidnapper’s terms were that Cora must kidnap another child if she wanted her daughter back.
Cora frantically searches for her daughter, fearing that her kidnapper, who has never been found, is still after her and has taken her child in revenge. A story that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Set in dual timelines, this is the story of Cora before and after her kidnapping as a teen. Just as she was set to become an Olympic gymnast, she was abducted on Halloween night and held until after the Olympic trials were over. Years later, on Halloween night, her 4-year old daughter is abducted.

I’m usually not a fan of dual timelines, but this one was written perfectly. It was easy to follow and kept the storyline moving flawlessly. This book is truly unputdownable and kept me guessing until the end. With the surprise ending, this book is compelling and intriguing. Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the eARC.

When She's Gone by the author of Don't Forget Me, published by Thomas & Mercer is a thriller that will leave the reader breathlessly craving more. Twisty and heart-wrenching, thius book is full of unexpected twists and turns that had me guessing till the last sentence.

Blurb: Cora Valentine has her whole life 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.
Hounded by the public, Cora’s time as a missing girl and member of the Magnificent Eight leaves scars. 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??
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 either.

When She’s Gone
By: Rea Frey
Pub Date: January 14. 2025
This is my third book by this author and her books are always ones I gravitate too. I like that she writes in several genres.
This one rocked me to MY CORE! A mom with a child who goes missing while Trick-or-Treating. A parent’s worst nightmare when their child goes missing.
As a child Cora Valentine was kidnapped on Halloween and her name was all over the media. No one was ever convicted of her kidnapping.
Years later she is a parent and her daughter comes up missing on Halloween. What are the odds?
The story had me read from cover-to-cover because I had to find out if her daughter was found or where their disappearance connected. I was completely thrown for a loop at the ending.

I requested this book because last year I read 2 books by this author and I loved both (The Other Year and Don't Forget Me), but unfortunately this When She's Gone was sort of a 'miss' for me.
I still liked Frey's writing style and how she develops her characters, and I do like the kidnapping baby/child trope. And that trope is the main reason why I didn't love this book as much as I expected to. This time, I didn't feel engaged with the plot or how that trope was executed - maybe I'm getting done with that trope?, all I know is that I've read books with that trope that pleased me more.
Also, the conclusion was, in my opinion, very predictable - so that 'shocking' effect didn't happen to me.
It still was a fun time, and I certainly recommend this book to anyone who has read a book by this author before and enjoyed it. Or even to mystery readers who are 'new' to the kidnapping/missing child trope.