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Before She Killed Him
A car crash in suburban Melbourne.
One woman seriously injured.
One man dead.
But was it really an accident?
Simone Henshaw is a reformed bad girl with a questionable past. Everyone knows the suburban soccer mum is a loose cannon, so when a suspicious car crash leaves her concussed and badly injured and her hated next-door neighbour dead, no one believes it’s an accident. Simone had been feuding with Brad ever since she moved into the neighbourhood, accusing him of abuse and harassment to anyone who’d listen. But everyone knew that Brad was harmless, deep down, and Simone was overreacting.
The police are waiting to question Simone, and as she lapses in and out of consciousness, she is tormented by nightmares and flashbacks. While Simone remembers the moment of impact, everything else about that night is a blur.
As she starts to recover, Simone realises that things are not as simple as they seem, and that there is something that could exonerate her, but she can’t remember what it is. If Simone wants to keep the family she loves and avoid a prison sentence, she must confront the truth that could destroy her and remember what really happened with her neighbour, right before she killed him.
One woman seriously injured.
One man dead.
But was it really an accident?
Simone Henshaw is a reformed bad girl with a questionable past. Everyone knows the suburban soccer mum is a loose cannon, so when a suspicious car crash leaves her concussed and badly injured and her hated next-door neighbour dead, no one believes it’s an accident. Simone had been feuding with Brad ever since she moved into the neighbourhood, accusing him of abuse and harassment to anyone who’d listen. But everyone knew that Brad was harmless, deep down, and Simone was overreacting.
The police are waiting to question Simone, and as she lapses in and out of consciousness, she is tormented by nightmares and flashbacks. While Simone remembers the moment of impact, everything else about that night is a blur.
As she starts to recover, Simone realises that things are not as simple as they seem, and that there is something that could exonerate her, but she can’t remember what it is. If Simone wants to keep the family she loves and avoid a prison sentence, she must confront the truth that could destroy her and remember what really happened with her neighbour, right before she killed him.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2025
7 people want to read
About the author
Naomi Shippen
3 books29 followersStories have always been an important part of Naomi's life, but it was not until recent years that she began writing her own. Naomi writes psychological thrillers and domestic suspense and is intrigued with discovering how far ostensibly ordinary people will go when placed in extreme circumstances.
Her debut novel, Far From Harm, was published in 2023, and her second novel, Before She Killed Him, is due for release on November 28th.
Naomi is working on her next book about a woman who makes a decision on the day of her daughter's wedding that will change everyone's lives forever.
Her debut novel, Far From Harm, was published in 2023, and her second novel, Before She Killed Him, is due for release on November 28th.
Naomi is working on her next book about a woman who makes a decision on the day of her daughter's wedding that will change everyone's lives forever.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 28, 2025
Before She Killed Him by Naomi Shippen
This was a suspenseful read that kept me guessing and turning the pages. It’s set in suburban Melbourne, Australia. We know from the start that Simone killed her next-door neighbour with whom she was having ongoing disputes. She ploughed him over with her car and now she’s in the hospital recovering from the accident.
The story jumps back-and-forth from the past to the present, gradually revealing the backstory that led to this fatal consequence. But is there more to the story than meets the eye? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
I highly recommend this beautifully written and gripping domestic suspense story, as well as Shippen’s first novel, Far From Harm. She is an Australian author, and I enjoy learning Australian lingo when I read her books. I also love her trademark dark humour.
This was a suspenseful read that kept me guessing and turning the pages. It’s set in suburban Melbourne, Australia. We know from the start that Simone killed her next-door neighbour with whom she was having ongoing disputes. She ploughed him over with her car and now she’s in the hospital recovering from the accident.
The story jumps back-and-forth from the past to the present, gradually revealing the backstory that led to this fatal consequence. But is there more to the story than meets the eye? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
I highly recommend this beautifully written and gripping domestic suspense story, as well as Shippen’s first novel, Far From Harm. She is an Australian author, and I enjoy learning Australian lingo when I read her books. I also love her trademark dark humour.
December 8, 2025
When Simone Henshaw regains consciousness after a serious car crash and is told she killed her neighbour, she struggles to remember what happened. Sure, she’d had problems with the man, but she knows there’s no way she would ever go that far. Expecting support from her husband and mother, she’s instead encouraged to lean into problems from her former bad girl past as a defense. As her memories start to return, and her husband grows increasingly secretive, however, Simone’s determined to find out the truth.
This one is a real page-turner, full of secrets, manipulations, and lies, all expertly layered between effective past and present narration that builds toward a climactic ending. Highly recommended for fans of psychological suspense thrillers, from an author who knows how to weave a gripping tale.
This one is a real page-turner, full of secrets, manipulations, and lies, all expertly layered between effective past and present narration that builds toward a climactic ending. Highly recommended for fans of psychological suspense thrillers, from an author who knows how to weave a gripping tale.
December 25, 2025
A slow burn where it started off with the thoughts of a murder trial and jail time. Slowly it unravelled to being much more. I enjoyed learning about Simone, John, Cheryl and Brad. I feel like the cancer diagnosis was swept under the rug and could have been easily missed as a reason why.
Towards the end I could not put it down. I enjoyed the back and forth of timelines and different perspectives. I loved trying to put it all together, looking for clues and figuring it out. I kept thinking "Simone, hurry up, ask this or check the newspaper". I could feel for her being in the dark. I enjoyed the ending and 1 year in the future. I would have liked more confrontation and explanation from John as I found Simone was still left in the dark even at the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Towards the end I could not put it down. I enjoyed the back and forth of timelines and different perspectives. I loved trying to put it all together, looking for clues and figuring it out. I kept thinking "Simone, hurry up, ask this or check the newspaper". I could feel for her being in the dark. I enjoyed the ending and 1 year in the future. I would have liked more confrontation and explanation from John as I found Simone was still left in the dark even at the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews