The Night She Disappeared

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of physical abuse, emotional abuse, substance use, death, and graphic violence.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel unfolds through multiple perspectives, including victims, perpetrators, and those caught in between. What did this narrative approach add to your reading experience? Did any particular perspective resonate with you more strongly than others?

2. Young adult thrillers often handle sensitive topics differently than adult ones. How well do you think Henry succeeded at balancing the darker elements of the story while maintaining an appropriate tone for a younger audience? Does this compare to other YA thrillers you’ve read, such as A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, or Girl, Stolen, another of Henry’s novels?

3. Which aspect of the novel did you find more compelling: the hunt for Kayla or the personal growth of Drew and Gabie? In what ways did these two storylines complement each other?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Gabie’s intuitive certainty that Kayla is still alive drives her actions throughout the novel. Have you ever had a strong gut feeling that others dismissed but that turned out to be correct?

2. When have you taken a significant risk to stand up for what you believed was right, similar to Drew helping Gabie despite the potential consequences for his already precarious living situation?

3. The novel shows us teenagers navigating a world where adults don’t always have the answers. When did you first realize that authority figures in your life were fallible? How did this realization change your worldview?

4. Gabie and Drew bond over their shared experience of coming home to empty houses, despite their different socioeconomic backgrounds. What unexpected commonalities have you discovered with someone from a different background than yours? 

5. Kayla creates a mental division—inwardly maintaining her true self while outwardly appearing to comply with her captor. What coping mechanisms have you developed to handle difficult or stressful situations in your life?

6. Everyone carries guilt in this novel, from Drew feeling responsible for letting Kayla take the delivery to Gabie believing she should have been the one abducted. When have you felt unwarranted guilt? What helped you move past those feelings?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The police in the novel fixate on Cody Renfrew as their prime suspect largely because of his socioeconomic status and history of substance misuse. In what ways does the novel critique how biases can influence criminal investigations? Do you see similar issues in real-world law enforcement?

2. Stories about kidnapped young women often follow predictable narrative patterns, something both Gabie and Kayla are acutely aware of. In what ways does The Night She Disappeared both utilize and subvert these familiar crime narratives?

3. Community responses to tragedy in the novel range from memorial services to voyeuristic fascination with Kayla’s case. What insights does the novel offer about our collective response to violent crimes, particularly those involving young women?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Throughout the novel, Henry includes various documents like 911 transcripts, evidence reports, and news clippings. What purpose do these elements serve in the narrative? How do they enhance your understanding of the events?

2. The Willamette River appears repeatedly throughout the novel as a symbol associated with the uncertainty surrounding Kayla’s death. What significance does this recurring motif hold to Gabie’s belief that Kayla is still alive?

3. Gabie, Drew, and Kayla all undergo significant personal growth throughout the novel. Which character’s development did you find most satisfying and why?

4. Robertson’s architectural scale models function as a symbol for how he views his victims. This parallel between his work and his crimes offers insight into his character. What other elements help us understand his psychology?

5. The novel switches between multiple first-person perspectives. What do we learn from Robertson’s chapters that creates tension for the reader?

6. Empty houses serve as a recurring motif in the novel. In what ways does it reflect the emotional states of both Drew and Gabie? How does their relationship help fill these empty spaces?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If The Night She Disappeared were adapted into a film or TV series, who would you cast as the main characters? What aspects of the story would you emphasize or change for a visual medium?

2. The novel ends with Drew, Gabie, and Kayla receiving medals for heroism. Write an epilogue set five years after these events. Where would these characters be and how might their experiences have shaped their futures?

3. The story is told from multiple perspectives but never from Sergeant Thayer’s point of view. Write a scene exploring what’s going through his mind during the medal ceremony, knowing that teenagers succeeded where he failed.

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