It stands out from other stories of disappearance and searching because of its focus on a variety of themes beyond the event itself. These include women’s connections and friendships, the kinds of shared interactions that keep such connections alive, and underlying issues of spousal abuse, midlife changes, and new possibilities.

The first step to making meaningful changes is to confront evidence that one’s values, perceptions, and patterns are no longer serving their purpose. As long as Lisa is part of her life, Tara isn’t compelled to take this step or make these realizations; but Lisa’s disappearance prompts a cascade of grief, self-examination, and determination in ways than one, and this in turn fosters new experiences and choices.

Set against the backdrop of Canadian culture, Finding Lisa follows Tara’s journey as she learns to trust strangers, runs into danger and even possible romance, and navigates strange new worlds in which her usual responses need revision.

Her shortcomings and failures are reassessed as her search leads to not only dead ends, but a passage of time that gives her the feeling that Lisa is being left behind as life moves forward without her.

As she faces questions about whether Lisa lost her sobriety and whether her boyfriend Ryan was involved, Tara confronts her own life decisions. Ultimately, Finding Lisa is about Tara finding herself, her place in the world, and her own willingness to accept pat answers and appearances that defy easy explanations.

The emotionally charged conclusion that takes an unexpected twist will delight readers who anticipated a very different ending from Tara’s thought processes, making Finding Lisa a delightful study in surprises that holds the power to thoroughly engross right up to its stormy conclusion.