The Girl Who Was Taken

The Girl Who Was Taken (2017) is a work of crime fiction written by American author Charlie Donlea. A best-selling author who specializes in female-driven thrillers, The Girl Who Was Taken is his fourth novel. Set in the fictional town of Emerson Bay, North Carolina, the story follows the abduction of two teenagers: Megan McDonald and Nicole Cutty. After two weeks of being held captive, Megan escapes and tells her story, becoming an overnight media sensation. Although Nicole is still missing, people lose interest in her story. The only person still searching for Nicole is her sister, Livia, a forensic pathologist who uses her skills to seek justice for Nicole. When Livia teams up with Megan, they expose a web of dark secrets that neither of them could have imagined.

This guide refers to the 2021 Kensington e-book edition.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss kidnapping, sexual and physical abuse, murder, drugging someone without their consent, trauma, and mental illness, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They also contain brief references to drug overdoses and death by suicide.

Plot Summary

The story is set in the fictional town of Emerson Bay, North Carolina, and opens with a three-part Prologue that details the abduction of two high school students: Nicole Cutty and Megan McDonald.