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Emily Elgar
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Grace Is Gone: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Emily Elgar (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 279 ratings
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From the bestselling author of If You Knew Her comes this harrowing tale of suspense—a story ripped from today’s headlines—of a tight-knit English community, who’s rocked by the murder of a mother and the mysterious disappearance of her daughter, and the secrets that lie concealed beneath a carefully constructed facade.

A small town’s beloved family.

A shocking, senseless crime—and the dark secret at the heart of it all.

Everyone in Ashford, Cornwall, knows Meg Nichols and her daughter, Grace. Meg has been selflessly caring for Grace for years, and Grace—smiling and optimistic in spite of her many illnesses—adores her mother. So when Meg is found brutally bludgeoned in her bed and her daughter missing, the community is rocked. Meg had lived in terror of her abusive, unstable ex, convinced that he would return to try and kidnap Grace…as he had once before. Now it appears her fear was justified.

Jon Katrin, a local journalist, knows he should avoid getting drawn back into this story. The article he wrote about Meg and Grace caused rifts within his marriage and the town. Perhaps if he can help find Grace, he can atone for previous lapses in judgment. The Nichols’ neighbor, Cara—contending with her own guilt over not being a better friend to Grace—becomes an unexpected ally. But in searching for Grace, Jon and Cara uncover anomalies that lead to more and more questions.

Through multiple viewpoints and diary entries, the truth about Grace emerges, revealing a tragedy more twisted than anyone could have ever imagined…

 

 

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  1. Print length
    327 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Harper Paperbacks
  5. Publication date
    January 7, 2020
  6. File size
    1997 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"[An] enthralling thriller...The novel is as much about perceived truth, media, and the workings of small communities as it is about solving crime. Twists and turns keep the reader guessing up to the satisfying ending. Along the way, Elgar wrestles with some engrossing ethical questions that will keep readers thinking long after they reach the end of the book."

-- " Publishers Weekly"

About the Author

Originally from the Cotswolds, Emily Elgar studied at Edinburgh University and went on to complete the novel writing course at the Faber Academy. She lives in East Sussex, England, with her husband. If You Knew Her is her first novel.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07QLF2Q9H
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Paperbacks (January 7, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 7, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1997 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 327 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0062972103
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 279 ratings

About the author

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Emily Elgar

Emily Elgar

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Hello fellow reader,

I am a British novelist living in Lewes, England with my husband and son.

I have always written, but I became a novelist when Frank - a man with locked in syndrome in my first novel If You Knew Her - wouldn't leave me alone until I'd written about him.

I then wrote Grace is Gone because I was gripped by a true crime that happened in America and I wanted to learn more about the issues the stories raised in my mind - mostly about revenge and justice - and whether the ultimate crime can ever justified.

I hope you enjoy them!

Emily

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
279 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

LarryStovall
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2023
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Perfect
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Kathy in NM
4.0 out of 5 stars A twisted domestic mystery (4.5 stars)
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2020
Grace Is Gone by Emily Elgar is a twisted domestic mystery set in a small town in Cornwall.

Cara Dorman makes a shocking discovery when she goes to neighbor Meg Nichols’ house to make a delivery. Meg has been brutally bludgeoned to death and her very ill seventeen daughter Grace is missing. The entire town rallies around the much loved and admired family of two and begins their own search for Grace. Cara is somewhat traumatized by her memories of finding Meg’s body and she is also wracked with guilt she has allowed her once close friendship with Grace to fall by the wayside. She unexpectedly teams up with despised journalist Jon Katrin to find the missing teen before it is too late.

Cara and her mum Susan have been close to Meg and Grace for years. They, along with the rest of the town, have nothing but admiration for Meg and her selfless care of her very ill daughter. But as Cara joins forces with Jon to find Grace, she begins to rethink some of the things she has witnessed over the years. They have uncovered some very unexpected information that alters her opinion of Meg and Grace. But the big question is whether or not these shocking new details have any bearing on Meg’s murder and Grace’s disappearance.

Jon has been living in disgrace since his article about Grace and Meg was published in the local paper. Originally from London, he grossly miscalculated the angle of his article and he is now separated from his wife, Ruth and their son, Jacob. During the course of his investigation, he realizes that he might have allowed his personal situation to color his perception of Meg and her estranged husband, Simon.

A few minor findings and insatiable curiosity lead to unexpected clues. With the town’s attention focused on finding Grace, Cara avoids the limelight and inadvertently stumbles onto an absolutely shocking discovery. Jon, too, has found unanticipated information that changes the course of their investigation. Jon and Cara soon put themselves into an increasingly dangerous situation as they try to uncover the truth about what happened to Meg and Grace.

Based on true life events, Grace Is Gone is a clever mystery that is quite riveting. The storyline is well-executed and the characters are well-drawn. Emily Elgar brings this engrossing mystery to a twist-filled yet ethically questionable conclusion. I completely enjoyed and highly recommend this thought-provoking novel to readers of the genre.

I received a complimentary copy for review.
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Phoebe
5.0 out of 5 stars Book review
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2020
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Not an edge of your seat type mystery but many unexpected twists. Worth a read
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Good writing but predictable plot
Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2022
SPOILERS AHEAD

This isn’t a bad book by any means, I enjoyed the style of writing (different character’s viewpoints, diary entries) and the characters are well-developed. That said, this book is incredibly predictable. If you are familiar with Gypsy Rose and Dee Dee Blanchard, you’ll have it figured it out after a few chapters. I like reading books based off a true story, but since this was a psychological thriller, knowing what happened took away from the appeal because I was expecting a mystery. I wish it would have been advertised as being based off a true story, because I would have had different expectations and probably enjoyed it more.
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Kathleen Hughes
5.0 out of 5 stars Do we ever know our neighbors?
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2020
Meg and Grace, the mother and daughter admired by all in the village of Ashford. Meg and Grace, devoted single mother and disabled, wheelchair bound daughter. Meg and Grace, mother and daughter beneficiaries of many fundraisers, special grants and donations. Meg and Grace…do you really know them? Meg and Grace, murdered and kidnapped.

As Grace is Gone, based on a true story, opens, Meg is found beaten to death by her neighbor Cara. Grace is gone. The mystery unravels as different voices narrate information and provide clues. Cara, a college student whose mother was Meg’s best friend, wants to find her fragile friend Grace. Jon, a journalist who made a near career ending move when he wrote an article mildly criticizing Meg, wants to reunite with his estranged wife and son. He hopes to do that by finding Grace. Graces’s words also drive the story by the diary she left behind and the secret diary she hid.

While you may guess some of the truth as the story races to a thrilling conclusion, author Emily Elgar always stays ahead of you, tossing clues and revealing secrets. Grace is Gone will keep you thinking long after you’ve finished the last page. 5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and Emily Elgar for this ARC.
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Kaceey
4.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable mystery
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2020
3.75*
Grace has been quite ill most of her life. Heart problems…seizures, among countless other ailments. Her dear mother Meg has been raising Grace on her own. Over the years they’ve become the darlings of their community and blessed with all the support that comes with it! In return, they have gratefully given back equally to the towns people.

So when Meg is found brutally murdered and Grace is nowhere to be found, everyone comes together to find Grace and get some justice for poor Meg!

A solid mystery, this was my first by Emily Elgar and I was all in, engaged throughout! The pace moved the story-line along at the perfect speed.
But...I wanted some surprises! I had most of the story-line figured out early on.
I also learned this book was based on an actual event. Hmmmm... Now that I’ve finished the book I’ll be heading over to Google the real story!

Overall it was an enjoyable read that I would recommend, and I’ll be reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for an ARC to read and review.
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Heidi D.
5.0 out of 5 stars Full of Twists and Turns
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2020
I really enjoyed Grace Is Gone, and will try to keep spoilers to a minimum. Meg Nichols is known and loved by her town in Cornwall, selflessly caring for her wheelchair bound daughter Grace. Imagine the town's shock and horror as Cara Dorman, her next door neighbor, finds Meg brutally murdered and Grace missing. Cara teams up with disgraced reporter Jon Katrin, who years earlier wrote an article casting Meg in a negative light, and for which he is ostracized and shunned by the town. As Cara and John embark on a search for Grace, and the murderer, they discover that nothing is what it seems. Definitely held my interest, and while I did guess many of the book's twists, others surprised me. Well done. Recommend this book.
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Tdk
5.0 out of 5 stars First book I read by this author very much enjoyed it and will read any others by her
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2020
Suspenseful First book I read by this author very much enjoyed it and will read any others by her
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced emotional thriller that keeps on surprising
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 10, 2020
Verified Purchase
A perfect page-turner to while away the hours in lockdown. Full of twists and turns and a wonderfully-flowing dual perspective narrative that adds real depth to the story. I also think that the mother/daughter and carer/patient relationship was really superbly detailed.

An excellent read 5 stars
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vicki.reads.books
4.0 out of 5 stars Read this with as little prior knowledge as possible
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 11, 2022
Verified Purchase
This book was recommended to me after I read The Recovery of Rose Gold, as it deals with the same subject matter and both stories are based on a real life case. It's hard not to go into more detail without giving away spoilers, but I will try...

When I started reading this I'd actually forgotten why it was recommended to me and I didn't even bother reading the blurb on the back, so I went in quite blind and it was only when I got about half way through that I realised what was going on and what was going to happen. This is a much better way to read the book, as you take it on its own merit.

The writing was really good, with some descriptions that were almost poetic - especially of the Cornish coastal setting. The characters were well drawn and I particularly liked the choice of narrators, who aren't necessarily who you'd think of to tell the story. One is Cara, Grace's friend and neighbour, and the other is Jon, a journalist who is reviled in the town for an article he wrote about Grace a few years ago.

I wouldn't call this a thriller, as the pace is quite slow and there aren't many twists that you can't see coming. It still packs an emotional punch though and it does make you think. I read it very quickly and I enjoyed it - but it hasn't made me want to rush out and buy any more by this author.
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Elisabeth M Weber
2.0 out of 5 stars TMI in the description on the back, mother‘s problem rather obvious
Reviewed in Germany on August 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
It wasn‘t half bad to read. What spoiled it a bit from the beginning was that from what I read on the back of the book it was immediately clear what the mother Megan‘s problem was. That made the rest of the suspense a bit dragged out.
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LynseyM
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 9, 2020
Verified Purchase
I loved this compelling thriller inspired by true events. I was hooked from the very start. Loved all the twists and turns. Fab to pass away the time whilst in lockdown!
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Hilly
3.0 out of 5 stars Gripping thriller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 7, 2020
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I enjoyed this book, but did sometimes get a bit muddled with all the different characters. Great characters , but I did guess the outcome so not such a thrilling ending for me, but well worth a read.
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