The Night She Disappeared

Gabie is the novel’s protagonist. Her parents work demanding jobs as trauma surgeons, which results in Gabie being well-off but often left to her own devices. Gabie is seen as a shy “good girl” and overlooked by most of her peers. She laments that “no one sees [her]” next to girls like Kayla (141). Robertson targets Gabie for her outwardly reserved nature, believing that she will be easy to control. He is mistaken, as over the course of the novel, April Henry reveals that Gabie is tenacious, independent, and strong.

Kayla’s abduction catalyzes Gabie’s coming of age. She deals with weighty feelings like survivor’s guilt and fixates on the possibility that Kayla was murdered, drawing from other missing girls’ cases that have ended in tragedy and violence. Her proximity to the case also puts her uncomfortably in the spotlight, a feeling she isn’t used to.

As Gabie struggles to decide whom to trust, she bonds with Drew. They share a sense of responsibility for Kayla’s fate, and Gabie reveals to Drew her intuitive certainty that Kayla is still alive. Their trust in one another helps Gabie grow past her shyness and stand up for herself.