The First to Die

by Suzanne Trauth

Connie Tucker, a free-spirited beach bartender, has been estranged from her family in New Jersey ever since her actress mother, Simone, disappeared one night during a violent storm at the theatre where she was rehearsing. Uncontrollable and in a rage at the loss of her parent, fifteen-year-old Connie is exiled to California, due to her delinquent behavior, to live with an aunt she doesn’t know.

Fifteen years later, Simone’s murdered remains are discovered at a construction site and Connie returns to the east coast for the funeral—she owes it to her mother. The cold case unit will take over now and solve the crime. But then she discovers a message her mother left behind. It feels like a dispatch from the grave.

Connie must face her tortured past, the guilt of concealing a devastating secret, and the part she played in her mother's disappearance. Unearthing buried family history and childhood demons, she confronts the agonizing reality that she doesn’t know where she belongs, where to call home. Who to trust. When a second suspicious death occurs, Connie races to unravel the events of the night Simone disappeared. Her mother was the first to die…but not the last.

Genres: Suspense, Mystery

334 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2025

Reviews

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Fifteen years ago, Connie Tucker’s mother disappeared from the theater where she was rehearsing during a huge thunderstorm. Connie, just a child, was at the theater as well, and while she arrived safely home, she couldn’t handle not knowing what happened to her mother. She started acting out and was filled with rage. Her father couldn’t control her, so she was sent to live with an aunt she didn’t know and who really didn’t want her in California, but she tried to make the best of it.

Connie is now a laid-back beach bartender, and she just received a call that her mother’s remains have been found pretty close to their home in New Jersey, in a shallow grave on land that was being cleared and excavated for new construction. She does return for the funeral and learns the cold case unit will now take over the investigation into her mother’s death.

Connie finds a message left by her mother that forces her need to know what truly happened the night she disappeared. She doesn’t know who she can trust. Can a promise she made to her mother all those years ago play into her mom’s going missing? Her father and sister are ready to move on, but Connie needs to know the truth. She digs into the past, and just when she is about to confront someone to get answers, she finds their dead body. Will she ever get the answers she needs? All she knows is that while her mother was the first to die, she wasn’t the last . . . and Connie could be next?

Ms. Trauth has written an engrossing character-driven mystery that alternates between the past and the present, “then” and “now,” that gives the reader much more than an ordinary whodunit.

Connie was an easy character to latch onto. Her life was unconventional, always haunted by her mother’s disappearance. Before her mother disappeared, Connie had been hoping to follow in her footsteps, being an actor, so going to California seemed a plus. Those plans didn’t pan out, and she settled for a job with no pressure or stress with no desire to return to New Jersey. Then, when she did, she was so driven to find the truth, seeing suspects around every turn. Could she get answers from the detective who originally had the case that went cold quickly? Would the cold case detective be open to her digging into the case, or would he tell her to leave the case to him? She couldn’t do that, and her need was apparent, and she was so determined.

The author surrounded Connie with an eclectic troupe of supporting characters that all appeared to be hiding something. From her older sister to her father, to the neighbors, to family friends, the more Connie digs into each of their connections and relationships, she finds a truly tangled mess to untangle, sending her on a heart-wrenching roller coaster.

I enjoyed the way Ms. Trauth plotted out and told this story. It has so much depth and is filled with twists and turns. Traveling with Connie was an emotional journey with a surprising ending, although not entirely satisfying.

The First to Die is a story of handling everything thrown at you, including the loss of a loved one, and how it all shapes your future. The need to find the truth so that you can hopefully find peace, wrapped into a heck of a compelling mystery that I found incredibly hard to put down.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.

[READER VIEWS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connie Tucker is returning home to New Jersey after having been estranged from her family for fifteen years. Unfortunately, she is returning after the remains of her mother are discovered at a construction site. Connie was with her mother the night she disappeared from the theater where she was acting and witnessed a disturbing confrontation. Her mother made her promise never to tell anyone what she saw, and Connie became a troubled teenager after that. Her father felt it would be best to send her to live with an aunt in Southern California. Now she’s back to attend her funeral and Connie realizes that she wants to know the truth. Not willing to trust the cold case detectives with finding answers, she starts doing her own research, which she quickly realizes unsettles quite a few people. There’s also a strong undercurrent of guilt and grief tied to the night her mother disappeared, which makes Connie’s need for answers feel deeply personal and emotionally charged.

Suzanne Trauth’s “The First to Die” combines a painful family saga with a gripping cold case. Connie’s teenage exile adds to the tension because she’s bringing home feelings of abandonment, which help drive her desire to investigate. Life moved on for her family and friends without her, and she knew that her aunt, who helped raise her, never truly wanted her in California. The feelings arising from the locals are palpable as they make it clear they don’t want her poking around in the past.

Trauth’s characterization of the protagonist is well done as Connie tries to hide her vulnerability to everyone’s rejection with a prickly personality. The tense dynamic she shares with her father and sister adds emotional depth. Her unresolved anger and sense of being cast aside show just how much the past still shapes who she is and how she responds to the people around her.

The cold case aspects of the investigation help make finding answers much more difficult. Nothing is as it initially appears. There are twists and turns full of surprises to keep you guessing.

I enjoyed the setting that Trauth created for this story. The aging theater adds a great deal of atmospheric tension, especially the night Connie’s mother disappeared because it was during a huge storm. Memories from the past are pulled into the present as she navigates through the places where she grew up. This especially includes her family home and the theater.

“The First to Die” is an exceptionally written murder mystery that will immediately engage the reader’s interest. This strong, well-written intrigue will be enjoyed by those who enjoy emotionally charged suspense with lots of twists and turns.

[Karen Siddall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mesmerizing tale of a daughter’s search for her mother’s killer.

The First to Die by Suzanne Trauth is the mesmerizing mystery of a young woman’s deep dive into the circumstances surrounding her mother’s disappearance and subsequent death. Connie Tucker is called home to her childhood home in New Jersey when the remains of her long-missing mother were discovered. Simone Tucker had disappeared from the theatre where she had been in rehearsals for A Streetcar Named Desire, when Connie and her sister, Gaby, were 13 and 14, respectively, never to be seen or heard from again. But someone in her life had seen her at least one last time that night, and Connie was determined to find out who that person was. However, someone was just as determined to stop her.

Connie is a sympathetic character, stuck in her past, unable to fully move forward until she knows what happened to her mother and whether a secret her mother made her promise to keep could have made a difference in the tragic outcome. Her feelings are further compounded by her father’s perceived betrayal when he sent her younger, grieving, out-of-control self to live with an aunt in California soon after her mother’s disappearance. Her sister, Gaby, is the perpetually wounded one, her main desire being to have her family reunited and happy again. Their father, Liam, while grieving the loss of his wife all over again, tells an inconsistent story of his movements the night of Simone’s disappearance. The combination makes for a riveting story I couldn’t put down.

The plot alternates between the present and the past as Connie begins her own investigation when the cold case detective assigned to her mother’s murder inspires little confidence. The story unfolds as she chases her own memories of that night and questions some of the most important people from her past, never expecting the twists and turns she encounters. I had so many theories about what actually happened as I read, but the resolution still came as a big surprise.

I recommend THE FIRST TO DIE to readers of mysteries and domestic thrillers.

[Melanie Ollila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a medium to fast paced suspense. The FMC, Connie returns home after her mother’s body has been found after a 15 yr disappearance. The book is about mix of past memories/scenes with the now in trying to determine what happened to Connie’s mom that fateful night.

There was something at the start that made me want to not like the FMC, but I was drawn to her and wanted to side with her. You feel for her after enduring the last 15 years with her family, you can’t help but want to defend her as you feel the gap between her and her father and sister.

The family dynamics definitely lent some suspicion to their actions now and in the past which kept me guessing. There was a bit of leading you to suspect certain people but I didn’t mind, again it kept me thrown off. I felt like everyone was a suspect.

The cast is large, but they all have their role! The main players have mid to deep development, while the peripheral characters are a need to know only facts. I loved the rekindling of old friendships, a hint of romance, and healing of trauma by the time you reach the end.

Overall, entertaining with the satisfaction of closure and resolution for the most part, with a little hmm what if.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this murder mystery featuring a truly amateur sleuth. Connie is a bartender and she has no experience in solving crimes. She is obsessed with finding out who murdered her mother years ago, however. There are a number of suspects and Connie meanders her way to identifying the culprit through talking to people and uncovering lies about past events. She is a bit impulsive, getting herself into dangerous situations from time to time. And just when I thought she had it all figured out, there was a twist, suspense and another twist. I felt the support characters were crafted well, some supporting Connie, some really suspicious.

This novel is also about family and relationships, those who will support her. Connie has been gone for 15 years, and we are as in the dark as she is about who she can really trust. I liked the developing relationship between Connie and her sister. While the plot is wrapped up at the end, there is one hanging thread which could mean a sequel. I'll be watching.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been fifteen years since Connie’s mother disappeared. Fifteen years since her bad behavior had led to her being sent away to live with an aunt in California. She grew up. Made a life for herself bartending. Then, she gets a call. Her mother’s remains have been found. It’s time to go back to New Jersey for the funeral. Time to find out what happened.

I liked Connie right away. She came across so genuine. Lots of baggage and a little bit of self doubt and guilt. Living a life different from what she’d picture. I was really pulling for her. Hoping she’d solve the mystery of her mother’s death and put some ghosts to rest. And hoping she’d get a happy ending.

There were a lot of other characters that added depth to the mystery. I enjoyed that. Character driven stories are so intriguing.

I really had to use my brain pan with this one. There were secrets along with a murder to figure out and the author did a great job of hiding any clues I might have picked out. I gobbled this one up. Wanting answers. Getting them. Along with some surprises.

I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.

[The Page Ladies Book Club]

What if the past didn’t stay buried and instead came knocking with a body count? 👀📖

Following Connie free-spirited, guarded, and still haunted by her mother’s disappearance felt deeply personal, like peeling back emotional layers while racing against danger. When her mother’s remains are finally discovered fifteen years later, the story doesn’t just reopen old wounds it rips them wide open.

What really hooked me was the way Suzanne Trauth blends a chilling cold case with a messy family history and buried guilt. Every clue felt heavy, every revelation hurt just enough, and just when I thought I had things figured out boom, another death. The tension builds beautifully, and Connie’s struggle with trust, identity, and home gave the mystery real heart. I couldn’t stop turning pages because I needed answers and justice.

Dark, emotional, and full of twists, this one stayed with me long after the final page.

✨️Thank you, Partners in Crime Tours and Suzanne Trauth, for sharing The First to Die with me!

[dianas_books_cars_coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Connie Tucker was sent to live in California with her aunt after her mother disappeared. However, she is now returning to New Jersey as her mother's murdered remains have been discovered. It has been 15 years since she last saw her father and sister, and 15 years since her mother's disappearance. The cold case unit is now tasked with solving the crime, but Connie feels a strong personal obligation to uncover the truth about what happened to her mother. She feels guilty since she's been hiding a secret of her own, but she made a promise to her mother. But there's someone who doesn't want the truth to surface, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to stop it from getting out, including harming Connie.

Told in the dual timelines of then and now, this was an engrossing read with a compelling mystery. There were complex family issues, lots of secrets, and a cold case to be solved. It was an entertaining page-turner with a great cast of characters. I loved the sisters' bond and the rekindling of old friendships. I also loved Connie's determination to find out who killed her mother even though everyone else seemed to want her to leave it alone. It's her way of dealing with her grief and past trauma. I enjoyed this well-written whodunit and would definitely recommend it. I'll certainly be reading more books by this author.🩷

[Debbie Proud · Rating 5 out of 5]

The First to Die is an enthralling whodunit mystery, not to be missed! Suzanne Trauth is an expert at setting the stage for suspense: a missing person found dead, family secrets, hidden romance at the New Jersey community theater, suspicion and gossip by town residents at the local pub. Who killed Simone, the popular actress years ago, and why? Her daughter, Connie Taylor comes back to the town she left 15 years before and finds herself determined to find the killer. The townspeople and even her family seem reluctant to involve themselves. Why is she the only person interested in resolving this case? Twists and turns make this story a real page-turner.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mystery about a woman coming to terms with her past

The book is about Connie, whose mother goes missing when Connie is 14 years old. 10 years later, the mother's body is found buried at a construction site. Connie comes home to lay her mother to rest and catch the killer. What I loved about the book was Connie finally growing up and dealing with trauma of losing her mother. She also has to face and make amends with her father and sister. She does a lot of growing up in the book.

[Linda Rawlins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystery novel about a young child, Connie Tucker, who is with her mother at a NJ theater when the mother mysteriously disappears. The child is sent away to live with a relative in California. Years later, she is called home when her mother's body was found buried in a shallow grave near their home. Connie is forced to relive that night, try to understand why she was forced to live away from her family for 15 years and is obsessed with finding the truth. She deals with guilt, family secrets and scorn while unraveling the horrifying cold case that has impacted her life forever. This book pulls you in from the start, unraveling layer by layer of deceit and lies. Great read!

[GeoTraveler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book so much! In addition to great characters, which Suzanne Trauth has in every one of her books, The First to Die has lots of twists and turns – what I look for in a good mystery. It kept me guessing until the very end. I also really appreciated how the book tied up all the loose ends. This is something that frustrates me about mystery books that don't. I also really liked the pacing, taking time with the ending, which I find is too hurried in some books.

[Stephen Jurman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The First To Die is a treat for the dedicated mystery lover. The characters are real life, everyday people you probably know; the protagonist is a believably troubled (and troublesome) and understandably motivated young woman, rather than a know-all super sleuth. The author plays fair with the reader; all the pertinent facts are present, along with a [delicious] red herring or two, for you to discover as the heroine does. It’s a fine read.

[Matthew Dolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

With The First to Die, I loved the back and forth in time with the story telling—relating Connie’s experiences and perceptions as an adolescent to the unfolding clues of her mother’s murder. Many of those experiences related to the community theatre and with her own theatre experience, Suzanne Trauth was able to develop a sense of place that pulled me into the lives of the actors and the crew. Those connections make for a more satisfying mystery read.

[Elaine Orr · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intricate plot with complex characters

The First to Die was an exceptional read. Suzanne Trauth melded amateur sleuth Connie's past and present lives meticulously. She created so many realistic suspects that I honestly didn't know the killer until the last few pages. I highly recommend The First to Die.

[Maria Vickers - MysteryLFL · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up. This was a simple read. It is engaging and intriguing, although predictable. Character development was well done, as was the atmosphere, but it had some pacing issues. I think the story could have been shorter, but it remains a comfortable length. Overall, not a favorite, but not unenjoyable by any means.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Connie does not want to return home but when her mother’s body is found, she has no choice. Filled with relatable characters and situations that have you asking the you would do, this book is a great read. The author unravels the story with glimpses into the past at the right time to help us understand Connie and her family better.

[Danielle Feit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I curled up on the couch to read Suzanne Trauth’s latest book, and I couldn’t put it down! I highly recommend to anyone looking for their next mystery read.

[Lenore Piccoli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good characterization and story development. A satisfying read and the author came to our book club. A 3 1/2

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling page-turner whodunnit. I can usually guess, but I honestly don't have a clue.