Welcome Back!
I just finished the book The Girl Before by JP Delaney.
(don’t confuse with the Iowa author of the book with the same title)
Oh. Boy. I liked this one!
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.
One “chapter,” anywhere from 2-4 pages, is told by Emma who lived in One Folgate first. She was looking for a new place to live because she was burglarized at her old house, loves the idea of the minimalist house and being controlled. The next chapter (2-4 pages) is told by Jane, who is currently living at One Folgate. With the chapters switching each time, you follow the women’s lives in the same order as they happened to each girl. (Make sense?) I loved how this was written…no trying to remember what happened to whom and when it happened, because it’s answered in the next chapter. I can’t say much more without telling too much. It’s a great mystery and does some twisting, which is always a bonus!
I would give this 4.5 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed this one!