Linda Hacker holds a copy of the book “Before She Disappeared” by Lisa Gardner.
Submitted photo
Name: Linda Hacker
Job title: Circulation assistant at the Jackson County Public Library
What’s the name of the book and author you are recommending?
“Before She Disappeared” by Lisa Gardner
What made you want to pick up this book in the first place?
I’m a longtime reader of Lisa Gardner and have read almost all of what she has written. I like her style of writing, and the majority of books I read are mystery/thriller.
Once you got into the book, what made you want to keep reading it?
I really like the main character, Frankie Elkin. She is a very caring person but also has a lot of demons to keep in check. I love to try and figure out whodunit, but this one will keep you guessing with a lot of twists and turns. This is the first book in a series of three so far. The third one will be coming out in March 2024.
Once you finished the book, what did you like about it?
It made me think about what people can go through in their lives, and so many times, we have no idea they’re even having problems. With all of Frankie’s issues, she never gives up. She’s a very likeable character for all of her flaws.
What is the book about?
Frankie Elkin is a middle-aged recovering alcoholic who has many regrets in life but never gives up. To keep herself moving forward, she finds cold case missing persons all over the country. A new case brings her to a Boston neighborhood with a rough reputation. Frankie is searching for a teenage girl who vanished from her high school months ago. Frankie finds out the girl has gotten in over her head when higher-up criminals find out what she’s up to. Frankie has resistance from the Boston Police Department, and the victim’s family tells Frankie she’s on her own. She does what she has to do to find answers, but Frankie meets with a lot of resistance from the residents in the neighborhood, and she soon learns she’s asking questions about the missing girl that someone doesn’t want answered and finds her own life threatened. But Frankie has a plan to try and find the girl as she has done with 14 earlier missing persons. Only this time, she hopes, as she does every time, to find the person alive.
Why would you recommend this book to others?
I love the character of Frankie. Because her mission in life, while frightening at times, she is still fearless when it comes to finding answers for others. The book brings out a lot of different emotions you’ll feel for the characters, and I think you’ll find yourself rooting for Frankie.