Before She Was Found (by Heather Gudenkauf)
I’ve been wanting to read a book by Heather Gudenkauf for a while, and I was delighted to find that ‘Before She Was Found’ was in my Audible library. This book was a perfect choice for a spooky reading season, as it incorporates an urban legend and mentions ghosts and hauntings.
‘Before She Was Found’ is a chilling psychological thriller that delves into the events that unfolded when three 12-year-old girls, Cora, Violent, and Jordyn, ventured out to an abandoned rail yard in the dead of night. Tragically, Cora was found alone and severely injured, while her friends were nowhere to be found. The story unfolds through alternating perspectives, including diary entries and police reports, as Gudenkauf skillfully unravels a web of friendship, betrayal, and hidden truths.
The book begins with an intriguing premise, and the author establishes a captivating setting and well-developed characters. The scene of finding Cora is particularly suspenseful and tense, drawing me into the unfolding drama. I appreciate the use of multiple narrators—parents, the girls, a psychiatrist, and records—which keeps the story engaging and dynamic. As I’ve grown older, I’ve become less interested in stories centered around children, so the inclusion of adult perspectives was particularly helpful in maintaining my interest. However, the middle section of the book did start to drag a bit, as it seemed to stretch on for an extended period. I felt that the story could have been more concise. There were also instances of repetition in the storytelling, which seemed unnecessary to illustrate the dynamics of the girls’ relationships.
Despite these minor drawbacks, the last third of the book was truly gripping, with several unexpected twists that kept me on the edge of my seat until the shocking final revelation. I purchased the audiobook of ‘Before She Was Found’ through my Audible membership, and Brittany Pressley’s narration was well done.
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