The Girl Before
In my opinion...
How does someone come up with an idea for a story like this? Amazing.
When I was first sent the sampler for this novel, I had it downloaded and read before the night was finished, and then checked daily until I could access the rest of the book.
From the start this story excited me, I thought it was a fascinating idea, and loved the personalisation of the experimental, minimalist house.
The story is told by Emma, the girl ‘then’, who first moved into the house, and Jane, the girl ‘now’, their stories flipping effortlessly without confusion in an extremely effective technique.
The chapters race along, with new red herrings and intriguing questions posed, challenging the reader, how would you respond to them?
There are numerous twists in this book, and it is difficult to describe without spoilers.
The final pages of the book provide answers, but not the ones I was expecting!
I suggest you set an afternoon aside, and prepare to be unsettled- once you have started this book, you will not want to put it down. I have no doubt that it will be a huge success.
Thank you to NetGalley & Quercus books for my ARC
Want to know more?
An enthralling psychological thriller that spins one woman’s seemingly good fortune, and another woman’s mysterious fate, through a kaleidoscope of duplicity, death, and deception. Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life. The request seems odd, even intrusive—and for the two women who answer, the consequences are devastating. Emma Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass, and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant—and it does. Jane After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street she is instantly drawn to the space—and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home’s previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror, as the girl before.
My rating...
A sparkling 5 glass novel !
