When She Was Gone

by Sara Foster

Overview

Was she taken … or did she run?

The pulse-pounding new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of You Don’t Know Me

Rose was torn away from her daughter. Now she may be the only one who can save her.

Former London police officer Rose Campbell has been estranged from her daughter, Lou, for almost a decade. But when Lou disappears from a remote beach in Western Australia—and the police suspect her of kidnapping the two young children in her care—Rose is asked to help bring Lou home.

This is the final case in DSS Mal Blackwood’s illustrious career—and there’s a lot riding on it. The missing children are heirs to the Fisher property empire, and while their multimillionaire grandfather is breathing down Blackwood’s neck, the media storm is intensifying. Faced with a deluge of evidence and accusations, Blackwood doesn’t know who he can trust.

Rose arrives in Australia intent on proving her daughter’s innocence, but how can she be sure of that when she’s no longer part of Lou’s life? Meanwhile, as Blackwood begins to expose the Fishers’ secrets, the investigation takes a dark turn. Shadows of the past gather around the Fishers—and Rose—and soon it’s clear that every hour is critical. What has happened to Lou and the children? And can Rose and Blackwood find them in time?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781094094052
Publisher:	Blackstone Publishing
Publication date:	04/01/2025
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Sara Foster was born and raised in England and moved to Australia in 2004. She has published six other novels: Come Back to Me, Beneath the Shadows, Shallow Breath, All That Is Lost Between Us, You Don’t Know Me, and The Hidden Hours. She lives near Perth, Western Australia, with her husband and two daughters, and is a doctoral candidate at Curtin University.

Editorial Reviews

Sara Foster has a unique ability to combine complicated, vulnerable, fascinating characters with riveting plots, and she excels at this in When She Was Gone. It’s a thrilling race-against-the-clock mystery about the disappearance of two girls and their nanny—but it turns out that those investigating the case have secrets they’d rather keep hidden too. Masterfully told, the stakes are high in this emotionally gripping and utterly unforgettable story. Don’t plan on getting anything else done once you start reading!”

New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Sea Natasha Lester

A chilling family saga about power, privilege, and revenge. Sara Foster at her spine-tingling best.”

author of Killer Traitor Spy and The Enemy Within Tim Ayliffe

Rose Campbell, a former London cop, knows a lot about violence and how it can tear us apart. When Rose’s estranged daughter goes missing in Western Australia—with two children from the rich family she is nannying for—Rose will have to dig deep to uncover what really happened. This assured, utterly absorbing novel will have you up late into the night, still turning pages. Sara Foster sensitively and persuasively renders both the banality and the unique horror of violence against women and asks, How far would you be willing to go to save someone you love? This was an absolute highlight of my reading year.”

internationally bestselling author of Dirt Town an Hayley Scrivenor

Foster is back! When She Was Gone is a master class of suspense, an edge-of-your-seat story that kept me up all night.”

bestselling author of What Happened to Nina? and T Dervla McTiernan

I was gripped by When She Was Gone. I couldn’t bear being away from it. The characterization is top notch: such interesting, flawed, nuanced people. And the plotting is excellent—I was guessing and guessing and getting it wrong. I absolutely loved this book.”

bestselling author of The Break and Grown Ups Marian Keyes

With Australia’s rugged southwest as the perfect backdrop, Sara Foster gives us a searing tale of the dangers of capitalist greed and misogynistic power play all wrapped up in what I think might just be the most propulsive thriller of the year. It’s pure genius to write a page-turner this stunning. I challenge anyone to put it down once you’ve read the first page.”

bestselling author of The Venice Hotel Tess Woods

Smart and considered, this is the book I wish I had written. Sara Foster is one of my favorite writers.”

Dervla McTiernan

Proves yet again that Sara Foster is a writer at the top of her game. A compelling story of secrets, lies, and heartache.”

Emma Viskic

A visceral story that will draw you in, with drama so palpable, you feel like you are actually part of the investigation…I absolutely recommend this to those who love thrillers with strong female characters, both good and bad.”

Manhattan Book Review

I was hooked from the first chapter: The characters were compelling, the pace was perfect, and the ending was satisfying, with a few twists I didn’t see coming. It’s a read-in-one-gulp story (my favorite kind) that kept me guessing until the end.”

bestselling author of The Only Child Kayte Nunn

I loved the premise before I even opened the book, and from then on, I was hooked. Sharp, compelling, and clever, Sara’s story of rich people behaving badly had me captivated until the final pages. Put it on your to-read list!”

author of The Trivia Night Ali Lowe

A thoroughly engaging novel, brimming with suspense. Foster writes with a unique compassion, exploring all sides of a terrible crime through complex, nuanced characters—her writing is intelligent and filled with heart. One of my favorite authors!”

bestselling author of The Good Mother and Dying to Rae Cairns

This was an incredibly fast-paced read. I felt like I was perched on the edge of a boat during a swift-water rescue, watching events unfold before my eyes in quick succession…Simple, unencumbered writing style. Nothing needless between the pages…Also: some heavy themes, handled with exquisite touch.”

author of The Widow on Dwyer Court Lisa Kusel

I was gripped by When She Was Gone. I couldn’t bear being away from it. The characterization is top notch: such interesting, flawed, nuanced people. And the plotting is excellent—I was guessing and guessing and getting it wrong. I absolutely loved this book.”

Marian Keyes

A thoroughly engaging novel, brimming with suspense. Foster writes with a unique compassion, exploring all sides of a terrible crime through complex, nuanced characters—her writing is intelligent and filled with heart. One of my favorite authors!”

bestselling author of The Good Mother and Dying To Rae Cairns

Highly original and throught-provoking, The Hush is a compelling page-turner whose questions and ideas capture a cultural and political zeitgeist.”

Anna Downes

Brilliantly imagined and superbly told, this story reaches out and grabs you right from the outset. It’s impossible to put down, not just because of the gripping plot but because the three women at the center of the book wind themselves around your heart as they struggle to comprehend the increasingly frightening world they’re living in. This is the novel everyone will be talking about this year.”

Natasha Lester