One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski (Review by Missi Gwartney)

Rating: 4.2 out of 5.0

How does a person just seem to vanish overnight? Was it foul play or another case of a teenage runaway? These questions still seem to haunt the town of Opal Beach even decades later and when newcomer-to-town, Allison, decides to escape her mess of a life while house sitting, she finds herself unexpectedly caught up in this seemingly forgotten cold case of teenager, Maureen, who was here one night and then One Night Gone…

Allison wants nothing more than a place to disappear. Recently divorced and let go from her job, she is searching for something or someplace to help her figure out how to move on. When Allison crosses paths with a local resident, Tammy, she is excited about the possibility of a new friend but quickly realizes that Tammy needs more than just a friend. Drawn into a long-ago missing person case and a town that wants nothing more than to forget, Allison has no idea the dangers she will encounter. Deciding to help will lead her down a path with more questions than answers and may just end up costing her everything.

Flashback to 1986 and Maureen is now the newcomer in Opal Beach. Desperate to flee her past and make a new future, she is sure this town could finally be her destiny. When Maureen finds friends and a place to belong, even she starts to feel somewhat normal for a change. But just as quickly as things go right, Maureen realizes that things can go wrong even quicker and as Maureen’s new life starts to crumble around her, she ends up down a path with potentially deadly consequences. Then, when she ends up simply disappearing one night, no one in town seems to think twice about it.

This book was wonderfully written and even though it jumps back and forth between the past and present, it is easy to follow. I actually had moments where I forgot that Allison and Maureen were living decades apart. Laskowski does a great job of creating a captivating and suspenseful story while adding in the typical teenage growing pains. Just when I thought I had it all wrapped up, another unexpected twist revealed itself and I had to put my thinking cap on again. I’d recommend this book even if you don’t necessarily enjoy this genre because it may end up surprising even the skeptical reader.