And Then She Was Gone

By: Rosalind Noonan

Narrated by: Erin Bennett

Eleven-year-old Lauren O'Neil vanished one sunny afternoon as she walked home from school. Six years later, her parents Rachel and Dan still tirelessly scour their Oregon hometown and beyond, always believing Lauren will be found. Then one day, the call comes.

Lauren has been rescued from a secluded farm mere miles away, and her abductor has confessed. Yet her return is nothing like Rachel imagined. Though the revelations about what Lauren endured are shocking, most heartbreaking of all is to see the bright-eyed, assertive daughter she knew transformed into a wary, polite stranger.

Lauren's first instinct is to flee. For years she's been told her parents forgot her; now she doubts the pieces of her life can ever fit together again. But Rachel refuses to lose her a second time. Little by little they must relearn what it means to be a family, trusting that their bond is strong enough to guide them back to each other.

Intensely moving and absorbing, this is an extraordinary story told with sensitivity and grace, and filled with the depth and breadth of a mother's love.

©2014 Rosalind Noonan (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

probably should be 3 starts

the story overall was a bit repetitive. There are also inaccuracies. but overall decent story

Overly optimistic

Grade: C+

Lauren is kidnapped walking home from school. Six years later, she's found. Lauren and her family have to adjust to the trauma she endured and find their way back to each other.

With shades of Jaycee Dugard and Michelle Knight AND THEN SHE WAS GONE is an overly optimistic look at family reunification after survivors return home. Rosalind Noonan put almost no conflict into this novel, everything seems impossible, then characters adjust to new challenges. Noonan does a good job giving characters realistic voices. While the plot had holes, had too many convenient coincidences and wrapped up much faster than would happen in real life, the story is interesting and I enjoyed Noonan's writing. Recovering from PTSD and the psychological damage Lauren endured, the social skills she magically had would take years, not months to accomplish. I can't get more specific about holes and conveniences because there is so little tension in this novel I don't want to kill that for you. My favorite characters were younger sister Sierra and social worker, Paula. My least favorite was Rachel, the mother.

AND THEN SHE WAS GONE is an easy read. Although the content of the kidnapping and abuse are heavy, Noonan never goes into much detail. A tepid recommendation for the right audience. I sent a friend the e-book, because she's into horses, if not for that aspect, I wouldn't have.

Good but predictable

I liked the story. It was different because the focus was not on the kidnapping but what happens when the victim is reunited with her family and the struggles they go through. The ending was pretty predictable but it is worth the read.

How the family wouldn’t give up hope on finding Laura.

A very enjoyable story. It showed the true meaning of family and the magic of love

A story of a womans return.

This story was so good. It was similar to the style of Chevy Stevens in the fact that the victim gains her strength and takes back her life.