Before She Disappeared: A Novel

As a big fan of Lisa Gardner’s D.D. Warren series, I was delighted to receive a copy of her new book, Before She Disappeared, which stars a new main character, Frankie Elkin. In Frankie’s debut, she is introduced to the reader and, much like the D.D. Warren series, her past is strewn throughout the book and neatly folded into the current story.

Frankie is a recovering alcoholic who believes she has found her mission in life-to find missing persons. Before She Disappeared brings Frankie to Mattapan, a neighborhood in Boston better known as “Murderpan.” A Haitian girl named Angelique Badeau has gone missing and her family knows that she did not run away. She has a bright future as a doctor in front of her. As Frankie interviews people and butts into other people’s business, she finds that this case is bigger than she expected. Before She Disappeared is a fantastic read and combines an imperfect main character with some shady neighborhood characters. There is a touch of violence, a touch of romance, and a touch of badass all thrown into one book. Frankie is a likable character who holds nothing back. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series.