The Night She Disappeared

In this excellent thriller from bestseller Jewell (The Family Upstairs), Tallulah and Zach, both 19, disappear after a date night that starts at a pub and takes the unmarried couple to a country estate in Surrey, England. Left behind is their infant son, whose care is assumed by Tallulah’s distraught mother, Kim. A year later, Sophie Beck, a writer of cozy mysteries, moves into a cottage near the estate with her partner, Shaun Gray, who has just accepted a teaching position at a local school. While Shaun prepares for the new semester, Sophie discovers a hand-lettered cardboard sign in the garden that reads “Dig Here.” When digging reveals what might be a vital clue to Tallulah and Zach’s disappearance, Sophie joins forces with Kim, who has never given up hope that Tallulah is still alive. Together, the two women search for the truth of what happened. Not every plot twist is plausible, but the backstory makes readers question everything they think they know as things cleverly unfold. Jewell is in top form in this suspenseful, satisfying story. Agent: Deborah Schneider, Gelfman Schneider Literary. (Sept.)