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The Girls Before
10 hours, 8 minutes
From the bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods, No One Can Know, and A Killing Cold, a new novel about a search & rescue expert, a kidnapped woman, and the lost girls who haunt them both.
There is a girl in a basement.
The door has stopped opening.
The light is gone.
Stranger is trapped in the dark, with only her imagination and the scribbles on the wall left by long-dead girls to keep her company. Nearly out of food and water, she makes one last attempt to escape. But if the door opens at last, will it mean salvation, or only the beginning of her fight to survive?
Audrey is a search and rescue expert who never stopped looking for her ex-best friend, Janie, who disappeared when they were teenagers. Janie used to love the local legend of a forest witch who saves girls from bad men, but Audrey knows now that for every one saved, there’s always another one lost. When she stumbles upon evidence in the forest that a teenage runaway might have actually been kidnapped from land belonging to the town’s most prominent family, she will have to dig through decades of secrets to reveal the biggest one of all: what happened to the girls before.
From the bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods, No One Can Know, and A Killing Cold, a new novel about a search & rescue expert, a kidnapped woman, and the lost girls who haunt them both.
There is a girl in a basement.
The door has stopped opening.
The light is gone.
Stranger is trapped in the dark, with only her imagination and the scribbles on the wall left by long-dead girls to keep her company. Nearly out of food and water, she makes one last attempt to escape. But if the door opens at last, will it mean salvation, or only the beginning of her fight to survive?
Audrey is a search and rescue expert who never stopped looking for her ex-best friend, Janie, who disappeared when they were teenagers. Janie used to love the local legend of a forest witch who saves girls from bad men, but Audrey knows now that for every one saved, there’s always another one lost. When she stumbles upon evidence in the forest that a teenage runaway might have actually been kidnapped from land belonging to the town’s most prominent family, she will have to dig through decades of secrets to reveal the biggest one of all: what happened to the girls before.
Audiobook
First published February 24, 2026
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About the author
Kate Alice Marshall
22 books6,531 followersKate Alice Marshall is the author of thrillers and horror for all ages. Her YA and Middle grade books include I AM STILL ALIVE, RULES FOR VANISHING, and THIRTEENS. Her adult thrillers include WHAT LIES IN THE WOODS and NO ONE CAN KNOW.
She lives outside of Seattle with her husband, two dogs named Vonnegut and Octavia, and two kids. They all conspire to keep her on her toes.
She lives outside of Seattle with her husband, two dogs named Vonnegut and Octavia, and two kids. They all conspire to keep her on her toes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,502 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4⭐
Genre ~ crime thriller
Setting ~ oops, I forgot
Publication date ~ February 24, 2026
Publisher ~ Macmillan Audio
Est Page Count ~ 307 (p+ 51 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 10 hours 8 minutes
Narrators ~ Ina Barron & Karrisa Vacker
POV ~ dual 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ 3 parts, search and rescue, missing girls
A very intriguing prologue starts us off with a girl chained up below.
Audrey, along with her faithful dog companion, Barry, are part of a search and rescue team. Barry steals the show and thankfully remains unharmed throughout.
We open up with a search for a young boy on private property. Property about to be owned by a prominent family. A politician, a former pro athlete and former child actor act like they want to help while they also do their best to ensure dark secrets remain hidden.
Audrey knows there’s something going on in the woods, and will stop at nothing to uncover the truth and hopefully get some answers on her missing teenage “friend” Janie. She certainly doesn’t always make the best choices, but she can’t help but keep digging and digging and digging.
It's told in below/above & before/after & here/now chapters, which was easy to follow along with.
Overall, a bit of a slow burn, but I was fully engaged. Had some nice twists, too.
Narration notes:
Thrilled there were two. They both did fabulous.
Genre ~ crime thriller
Setting ~ oops, I forgot
Publication date ~ February 24, 2026
Publisher ~ Macmillan Audio
Est Page Count ~ 307 (p+ 51 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 10 hours 8 minutes
Narrators ~ Ina Barron & Karrisa Vacker
POV ~ dual 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ 3 parts, search and rescue, missing girls
A very intriguing prologue starts us off with a girl chained up below.
Audrey, along with her faithful dog companion, Barry, are part of a search and rescue team. Barry steals the show and thankfully remains unharmed throughout.
We open up with a search for a young boy on private property. Property about to be owned by a prominent family. A politician, a former pro athlete and former child actor act like they want to help while they also do their best to ensure dark secrets remain hidden.
Audrey knows there’s something going on in the woods, and will stop at nothing to uncover the truth and hopefully get some answers on her missing teenage “friend” Janie. She certainly doesn’t always make the best choices, but she can’t help but keep digging and digging and digging.
It's told in below/above & before/after & here/now chapters, which was easy to follow along with.
Overall, a bit of a slow burn, but I was fully engaged. Had some nice twists, too.
Narration notes:
Thrilled there were two. They both did fabulous.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall
In case you weren't aware, 2026 is the year of the Fire Horse in the Chinese Zodiac, and apparently, the year of the fire thrillers!
I don't know if our Author's know we can use the distraction now more than ever or what. But, I'm telling you, they're going HARD this year.. especially with the thrillers! This one is absolutely no exception and will have you hooked up until the last words on the last page.. Missing girls, A small town with big families in power, and a witch in the woods? YES PLEASE!
The writing is a lot more lyrical than in most thrillers I've read which I also found really enjoyable. I think the beautiful writing definitely helps boost the books magical aura! Some of the best thrillers can feel like a prison meal on the way down.. Beautiful writing just isn't something that's necessarily needed to make a good thriller. But this book really highlights what a phenomenal combination the mix can be.
A true thriller lovers must read! And definitely a book I will be personally recommending. Honestly this has been the fast January of my LIFE and I owe it all to Netgalley and the amazing Authors, such as Kate Alice Marshall. Who are kind enough to trust us readers with their book babies. It might not seem like much but, when you have regular depression on top of seasonal depression, January tends to SUUUUUCK. And making peoples lives suck a little less is a pretty huge accomplishment in my book! This was my first read from this author but it definitely won't be my last! As always if anyone has any recommendations of what I should read from this author next, please let me know below!
Until next time,
Hades
🩵
* ADHD side note*..The line about an "old" show called Teen Wolf and an AARP membership left me cackling like my girl Winifred Sanderson
In case you weren't aware, 2026 is the year of the Fire Horse in the Chinese Zodiac, and apparently, the year of the fire thrillers!
I don't know if our Author's know we can use the distraction now more than ever or what. But, I'm telling you, they're going HARD this year.. especially with the thrillers! This one is absolutely no exception and will have you hooked up until the last words on the last page.. Missing girls, A small town with big families in power, and a witch in the woods? YES PLEASE!
The writing is a lot more lyrical than in most thrillers I've read which I also found really enjoyable. I think the beautiful writing definitely helps boost the books magical aura! Some of the best thrillers can feel like a prison meal on the way down.. Beautiful writing just isn't something that's necessarily needed to make a good thriller. But this book really highlights what a phenomenal combination the mix can be.
A true thriller lovers must read! And definitely a book I will be personally recommending. Honestly this has been the fast January of my LIFE and I owe it all to Netgalley and the amazing Authors, such as Kate Alice Marshall. Who are kind enough to trust us readers with their book babies. It might not seem like much but, when you have regular depression on top of seasonal depression, January tends to SUUUUUCK. And making peoples lives suck a little less is a pretty huge accomplishment in my book! This was my first read from this author but it definitely won't be my last! As always if anyone has any recommendations of what I should read from this author next, please let me know below!
Until next time,
Hades
🩵
* ADHD side note*..The line about an "old" show called Teen Wolf and an AARP membership left me cackling like my girl Winifred Sanderson
November 5, 2025
Kate Alice Marshall is an auto-read author for me. Period. If she writes it, I’m reading it. I was absolutely thrilled to get this one! It also features a dog you love.
There is a girl in a basement. The door has stopped opening. Will she ever get out?
Audrey volunteers with the search and rescue team in her free time. She has become quite obsessed with it. Her obsession started when her best friend in high school disappeared and never returned.
I will say that I have shied away from woman held captive tropes. They are, at times, a bit descriptive in abuse. I’m pleased to tell you that none of those things are mentioned here! So if that is something that you have stayed away from, know that this is safe to read!
This story had so many twists that I might have whiplash lol. I had to go back and reread a part towards the ending, but I finally figured it out. Lol.
I highly enjoyed this one, and her loyal fans are sure to love it too! My kitten, Rowan, couldn’t stop chewing on it…. So it’s Rowan approved 🤣.
Add this to your TBR and pre-order your copy now!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date- 2/26
Thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy!
There is a girl in a basement. The door has stopped opening. Will she ever get out?
Audrey volunteers with the search and rescue team in her free time. She has become quite obsessed with it. Her obsession started when her best friend in high school disappeared and never returned.
I will say that I have shied away from woman held captive tropes. They are, at times, a bit descriptive in abuse. I’m pleased to tell you that none of those things are mentioned here! So if that is something that you have stayed away from, know that this is safe to read!
This story had so many twists that I might have whiplash lol. I had to go back and reread a part towards the ending, but I finally figured it out. Lol.
I highly enjoyed this one, and her loyal fans are sure to love it too! My kitten, Rowan, couldn’t stop chewing on it…. So it’s Rowan approved 🤣.
Add this to your TBR and pre-order your copy now!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date- 2/26
Thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
”The witch in the woods who helped wronged women. I think there’s a new version every few years. Our town’s own Bloody Mary. I’ve always liked the idea.”
this had so much potential, but it failed to fully grab me. i did like the alternating POVs and timelines, i was curious to know why “the stranger” was trapped in the bunker and what that had to do with the current missing girl’s case. Audrey was fine as a main character, she was relentless in her quest to find answers but I also had a hard time suspending my disbelief. i wish there would’ve been more backstory into the towns urban legend, i didn’t like how that got thrown to the side. the romance was completely unnecessary and the most important reveal was very obvious. i did get invested in the family drama of it all, but i guess i expected more.
⇢ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Macmillan Audio for the alc, all opinions are my own.
this had so much potential, but it failed to fully grab me. i did like the alternating POVs and timelines, i was curious to know why “the stranger” was trapped in the bunker and what that had to do with the current missing girl’s case. Audrey was fine as a main character, she was relentless in her quest to find answers but I also had a hard time suspending my disbelief. i wish there would’ve been more backstory into the towns urban legend, i didn’t like how that got thrown to the side. the romance was completely unnecessary and the most important reveal was very obvious. i did get invested in the family drama of it all, but i guess i expected more.
⇢ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Macmillan Audio for the alc, all opinions are my own.
March 16, 2026
The alternating POV's really made this book, it gave context of what happened past and present. Audrey's determination really shined through to uncover the mystery of the missing girls over the years. My name is "Stranger", Reading her POV really made a reality which I liked, because it gave so much more context into what Audrey was trying to achieve. Pretty fast paced and really well written, this one will pull you right in.
March 29, 2026
Haunting, dark, and so very, very twisted, The Girls Before was another unputdownable read by the queen of side-eye-worthy characters. Interweaving two plot lines that both shined a bright light on violence against women, this slow-boiling plot was as addictive as it was unsettling. You see, not only was it a multi-layered mystery of trauma, friendship, survival, and family, but it was an edge-of-your-seat read from beginning to end. With deeply fleshed out characters and a plot that never stopped shifting, the sense of dread and foreboding made it impossible to put down. Yup. It was another one-sitting read from the unstoppable Ms. Marshall. After all, you’re definitely going to need to know what long-buried secrets this suspicious crew is hiding just out of view.
As much as I loved the complex characters, onion-like plot, and atmospheric setting, though, the twists were the winning piece to this stunning tale of psychological suspense. I mean, the last third of the book was almost whiplash-inducing. Thanks to well-timed reveals that were as gasp-inducing as they were apt, I learned not to trust a single soul. You see, with cat-and-mouse antics and dirty deeds, the layers of lies made this book into a definite win. On top of all of that, though, there was also a touch of romance and an adorable dog (don’t worry, he’s doesn’t get harmed). A well-plotted story that kept me guessing throughout, I highly recommend giving this one a try. After all, it was both deliciously dark and thoughtfully poignant. Rating of 4.25 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
There is a girl in a basement.
The door has stopped opening.
The light is gone.
Stranger is trapped in the dark, with only her imagination and the scribbles on the wall left by long-dead girls to keep her company. Nearly out of food and water, she makes one last attempt to escape. But if the door opens at last, will it mean salvation, or only the beginning of her fight to survive?
Audrey is a search and rescue expert who never stopped looking for her ex-best friend, Janie, who disappeared when they were teenagers. Janie used to love the local legend of a forest witch who saves girls from bad men, but Audrey knows now that for every one saved, there’s always another one lost. When she stumbles upon evidence in the forest that a teenage runaway might have actually been kidnapped from land belonging to the town’s most prominent family, she will have to dig through decades of secrets to reveal the biggest one of all: what happened to the girls before.
Thank you Kate Alice Marshall and Flatiron Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: February 24, 2026
Content warning: forced captivity, missing person, violence, gun violence, mention of: drug addiction, child abuse
As much as I loved the complex characters, onion-like plot, and atmospheric setting, though, the twists were the winning piece to this stunning tale of psychological suspense. I mean, the last third of the book was almost whiplash-inducing. Thanks to well-timed reveals that were as gasp-inducing as they were apt, I learned not to trust a single soul. You see, with cat-and-mouse antics and dirty deeds, the layers of lies made this book into a definite win. On top of all of that, though, there was also a touch of romance and an adorable dog (don’t worry, he’s doesn’t get harmed). A well-plotted story that kept me guessing throughout, I highly recommend giving this one a try. After all, it was both deliciously dark and thoughtfully poignant. Rating of 4.25 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
There is a girl in a basement.
The door has stopped opening.
The light is gone.
Stranger is trapped in the dark, with only her imagination and the scribbles on the wall left by long-dead girls to keep her company. Nearly out of food and water, she makes one last attempt to escape. But if the door opens at last, will it mean salvation, or only the beginning of her fight to survive?
Audrey is a search and rescue expert who never stopped looking for her ex-best friend, Janie, who disappeared when they were teenagers. Janie used to love the local legend of a forest witch who saves girls from bad men, but Audrey knows now that for every one saved, there’s always another one lost. When she stumbles upon evidence in the forest that a teenage runaway might have actually been kidnapped from land belonging to the town’s most prominent family, she will have to dig through decades of secrets to reveal the biggest one of all: what happened to the girls before.
Thank you Kate Alice Marshall and Flatiron Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: February 24, 2026
Content warning: forced captivity, missing person, violence, gun violence, mention of: drug addiction, child abuse
May 2, 2026
**3.5-stars rounded up**
The Girls Before is a twisty, fast-paced Thriller from one of my go-to authors, Kate Alice Marshall. For me, KAM has such variety with her writing and I love getting my hands on each of her books as they're released.
This story follows Audrey, a Search & Rescue expert, and a kidnapped woman, Stranger. The narrative transitions back-and-forth between them, slowly revealing connections and the truth of Stranger's captivity. I loved that back-and-forth as the larger picture starts to become clear.
Audrey was a great main character. She has a lovable pitty named Barry, who I loved having involved in the story. Audrey was portrayed as a good dog mom and we do always appreciate that in a story.
In addition to following Audrey's work in SAR, we also get to see a bit going on in her personal life and I liked that aspect. I felt like I really got to know her and it made me connect to her more and care about her as the story progressed.
Stranger's perspective was rather horrifying. Everything she had gone through. Her struggles felt real. It was just awful to think about, to imagine being in that circumstance. Of course that made me empathetic to her in a different way than I was to Audrey.
I loved trying to figure out what was actually going on. There ended up being a lot of different players that comes into the action in a heavy way.
I'm sure this won't be for everyone, but for me it was very entertaining. I listened to the audiobook in a day, a format I would recommend. The narration by Ina Barrón and Karissa Vacker brought the story to life. I felt sucked into this world and I wasn't stopping until I had all the answers.
I love nothing more than digging into the secrets of a really toxic family or disturbing small town, and this definitely satisfied that itch. I did feel it got a little convoluted in the second half, however, I still liked it a lot.
I'm confident I followed all the lines KAM was setting and I was happy with the conclusion. I would recommend this for Thriller Readers, particularly if you've enjoyed KAM's work in the past, or if you enjoy stories featuring missing persons.
Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I had a lot of fun reading it. Kate Alice Marshall's work is always a good bet for entertainment!
The Girls Before is a twisty, fast-paced Thriller from one of my go-to authors, Kate Alice Marshall. For me, KAM has such variety with her writing and I love getting my hands on each of her books as they're released.
This story follows Audrey, a Search & Rescue expert, and a kidnapped woman, Stranger. The narrative transitions back-and-forth between them, slowly revealing connections and the truth of Stranger's captivity. I loved that back-and-forth as the larger picture starts to become clear.
Audrey was a great main character. She has a lovable pitty named Barry, who I loved having involved in the story. Audrey was portrayed as a good dog mom and we do always appreciate that in a story.
In addition to following Audrey's work in SAR, we also get to see a bit going on in her personal life and I liked that aspect. I felt like I really got to know her and it made me connect to her more and care about her as the story progressed.
Stranger's perspective was rather horrifying. Everything she had gone through. Her struggles felt real. It was just awful to think about, to imagine being in that circumstance. Of course that made me empathetic to her in a different way than I was to Audrey.
I loved trying to figure out what was actually going on. There ended up being a lot of different players that comes into the action in a heavy way.
I'm sure this won't be for everyone, but for me it was very entertaining. I listened to the audiobook in a day, a format I would recommend. The narration by Ina Barrón and Karissa Vacker brought the story to life. I felt sucked into this world and I wasn't stopping until I had all the answers.
I love nothing more than digging into the secrets of a really toxic family or disturbing small town, and this definitely satisfied that itch. I did feel it got a little convoluted in the second half, however, I still liked it a lot.
I'm confident I followed all the lines KAM was setting and I was happy with the conclusion. I would recommend this for Thriller Readers, particularly if you've enjoyed KAM's work in the past, or if you enjoy stories featuring missing persons.
Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I had a lot of fun reading it. Kate Alice Marshall's work is always a good bet for entertainment!
February 24, 2026
🎊🎊🎊happy publication day 🎊🎊🎊
reaction immediately after finishing: Wow.
More thoughts to come.
👇
8/10: 4⭐️’s
First of all, the narration was great (Ina Barron and Karissa Vacker-one of my personal favorites). It was incredibly helpful to have two narrators for this book as well as the chapters labeled with above or below and before or after to separate the different timelines. I might have been confused without that.
This is a dark book. After a little bit of thinking, I don’t know how to say much without giving away a lot. And I definitely do not want to spoil any thing for other readers.
Audrey is a high school counselor and a volunteer search and rescue member. Barry, her dog, is wonderful, but a has a bit of an attention problem so his time with search and rescue didn’t last long. Her ‘best friend’, I say that loosely because someone like Janie doesn’t sound like someone I would want as my friend at all, disappeared when they were teenagers. Now a teenager from the school she works at has gone missing, but no one seems to be looking for her. Much like with Janie.
Audrey can’t seem to help herself from searching for answers. While out hiking, but pretty much being nosy and curious, with Barry and the new teacher at school, they stumble across something that changes everything.
With that I will stop because my rambling self is so tempted to say more than I should!! Especially since an inkling I had about something turned out to be correct and I had an ‘I knew it, I just knew it!’ moment and want to tell everyone what it is that I knew! It’s twisted.
I do want to note that my favorite character in this book is Kenny. He doesn’t have a significant role, but oh gosh, I would love to have a friend like him.
This was dark and twisty and had some definite moments of holding my breath just a little bit while various scenes played out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced audiobook. It was a doozy! All thoughts are my own.
Rating and thoughts posted: 1/23/26
Publication date: 2/24/26
TW: captivity with assumed various forms of abuse.
———————————————
I forgot to add a quote from Len (?) that is one of my new favorite lines from a book:
“Don’t escalate the stupid.”
I need to start a list of lines I want to try to incorporate into conversations with others😂.
Small addition: 1/24/26
Reposted for publication day: 2/24/26
reaction immediately after finishing: Wow.
More thoughts to come.
👇
8/10: 4⭐️’s
First of all, the narration was great (Ina Barron and Karissa Vacker-one of my personal favorites). It was incredibly helpful to have two narrators for this book as well as the chapters labeled with above or below and before or after to separate the different timelines. I might have been confused without that.
This is a dark book. After a little bit of thinking, I don’t know how to say much without giving away a lot. And I definitely do not want to spoil any thing for other readers.
Audrey is a high school counselor and a volunteer search and rescue member. Barry, her dog, is wonderful, but a has a bit of an attention problem so his time with search and rescue didn’t last long. Her ‘best friend’, I say that loosely because someone like Janie doesn’t sound like someone I would want as my friend at all, disappeared when they were teenagers. Now a teenager from the school she works at has gone missing, but no one seems to be looking for her. Much like with Janie.
Audrey can’t seem to help herself from searching for answers. While out hiking, but pretty much being nosy and curious, with Barry and the new teacher at school, they stumble across something that changes everything.
With that I will stop because my rambling self is so tempted to say more than I should!! Especially since an inkling I had about something turned out to be correct and I had an ‘I knew it, I just knew it!’ moment and want to tell everyone what it is that I knew! It’s twisted.
I do want to note that my favorite character in this book is Kenny. He doesn’t have a significant role, but oh gosh, I would love to have a friend like him.
This was dark and twisty and had some definite moments of holding my breath just a little bit while various scenes played out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced audiobook. It was a doozy! All thoughts are my own.
Rating and thoughts posted: 1/23/26
Publication date: 2/24/26
TW: captivity with assumed various forms of abuse.
———————————————
I forgot to add a quote from Len (?) that is one of my new favorite lines from a book:
“Don’t escalate the stupid.”
I need to start a list of lines I want to try to incorporate into conversations with others😂.
Small addition: 1/24/26
Reposted for publication day: 2/24/26
February 20, 2026
Sooooo gooood! Mystery after mystery. This is a gripping thriller! Truly entertaining! I enjoyed every part of it!
Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC of The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall, to be published on February 24th, 2026.
Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC of The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall, to be published on February 24th, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
There's a girl kept captive in the dark. There's Audrey, a guidance counselor and search-and-rescue expert who never stopped looking for her missing best friend, Janie. And there are the ghosts of all the girls before - the ones who vanished from the forests of the Pacific Northwest, amidst legends of a witch who helps desperate girls. But there's nothing supernatural about it.
What begins as a claustrophobic survival tale unfolds into something much broader: a haunting, multi-layered mystery about friendship, trauma, and what it means to be saved. Mercifully, it's not your typical "woman held captive" story - refreshingly, there are no graphic depictions of violence, only the echo of what's been endured. The pacing is brisk, the atmosphere dark and foreboding, the twists satisfying, and Audrey's bond with her dog gives the story unexpected warmth. I did, however, roll my eyes at how many red-haired women seemingly disappeared (in a small town in the Pacific Northwest, no less) without anyone making the connection.
I listened to the audiobook, and it's excellent. Narrators Ina Barrón and Karissa Vacker are perfectly paired: Barrón gives voice to the raw desperation of the captive girl, while Vacker's particularly stellar, empathetic narration of Audrey's perspective grounds the story in reality.
The Girls Before is an elegy for the lost, and for the ones who refuse to stop looking. Kate Alice Marshall once again proves she's one of the most consistent voices in contemporary suspense.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advance copy of the audiobook via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"The Girls Before" is slated to be released on February 24, 2026.
What begins as a claustrophobic survival tale unfolds into something much broader: a haunting, multi-layered mystery about friendship, trauma, and what it means to be saved. Mercifully, it's not your typical "woman held captive" story - refreshingly, there are no graphic depictions of violence, only the echo of what's been endured. The pacing is brisk, the atmosphere dark and foreboding, the twists satisfying, and Audrey's bond with her dog gives the story unexpected warmth. I did, however, roll my eyes at how many red-haired women seemingly disappeared (in a small town in the Pacific Northwest, no less) without anyone making the connection.
I listened to the audiobook, and it's excellent. Narrators Ina Barrón and Karissa Vacker are perfectly paired: Barrón gives voice to the raw desperation of the captive girl, while Vacker's particularly stellar, empathetic narration of Audrey's perspective grounds the story in reality.
The Girls Before is an elegy for the lost, and for the ones who refuse to stop looking. Kate Alice Marshall once again proves she's one of the most consistent voices in contemporary suspense.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advance copy of the audiobook via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"The Girls Before" is slated to be released on February 24, 2026.
February 25, 2026
This was such a great twisty mystery thriller. I was wondering who the Stranger was in the "below" chapters and what happened to the girls in the "above" chapters the whole time. I found this story to be very engaging and it was a quick read for me.
Audrey was tenacious and a main character you could get behind. She has an awesome dog named Barry, a stable job, relationship insecurities, and good friends that she loves. All of this makes her very relatable. She also has an obsession of sorts with finding missing people. Audrey has a sort of sixth sense about these things and has learned to trust her instincts.
Stranger is trapped, but also tenacious. Her chapters are dark and scary in a realistic way.
As with any mystery thriller, there will be parts where you have to suspend your disbelief, but I did not find that difficult to do with this story. I have read this author before and her writing always grabs me and I have loved everything I've read by her. Her writing just really works for me.
I had the audiobook narrated by Ina Barrón and Karissa Vacker. It was very well done and I definitely recommend it. I didn't want to stop listening. The narration fit the characters perfectly.
4.5★ rounded up for audio and because I just didn't want to put it down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic audio copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Audrey was tenacious and a main character you could get behind. She has an awesome dog named Barry, a stable job, relationship insecurities, and good friends that she loves. All of this makes her very relatable. She also has an obsession of sorts with finding missing people. Audrey has a sort of sixth sense about these things and has learned to trust her instincts.
Stranger is trapped, but also tenacious. Her chapters are dark and scary in a realistic way.
As with any mystery thriller, there will be parts where you have to suspend your disbelief, but I did not find that difficult to do with this story. I have read this author before and her writing always grabs me and I have loved everything I've read by her. Her writing just really works for me.
I had the audiobook narrated by Ina Barrón and Karissa Vacker. It was very well done and I definitely recommend it. I didn't want to stop listening. The narration fit the characters perfectly.
4.5★ rounded up for audio and because I just didn't want to put it down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic audio copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
February 28, 2026
This author is always so good!! A guaranteed wild and twisty read, and The Girls Before was no different.
Dark and suspenseful, we have a school counsellor who volunteers with Search and Rescue who gets herself caught up in a town secret, with a prominent family at the centre. Audrey will not let it go, no matter what the police tell her, she knows there are girls buried in the forest, girls that have gone missing without a trace. With an urban legend to boot, there are cover ups galore, making this a very interesting story.
As always Karissa Vacker does an amazing job with narration. I always love listening to her telling the story.
This was slower burn than the author’s usual pace, so the audiobook was definitely the way to go , kept me listening and interested all the way.
Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio for the early copy to listen to. Out on February 24th.
Dark and suspenseful, we have a school counsellor who volunteers with Search and Rescue who gets herself caught up in a town secret, with a prominent family at the centre. Audrey will not let it go, no matter what the police tell her, she knows there are girls buried in the forest, girls that have gone missing without a trace. With an urban legend to boot, there are cover ups galore, making this a very interesting story.
As always Karissa Vacker does an amazing job with narration. I always love listening to her telling the story.
This was slower burn than the author’s usual pace, so the audiobook was definitely the way to go , kept me listening and interested all the way.
Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio for the early copy to listen to. Out on February 24th.
March 3, 2026
Audiobook
Can you ever really let someone go? Audrey contemplates this as a volunteer with a local search-and-rescue team. Oftentimes, her work ends in happiness, but what of the times when the person is never found? Haunted by a disappearance from her youth and a discovery today, Audrey is drawn into a mystery implicating powerful families and dangerous enemies.
Fans of Kate Alice Marshall will be happy with the new tale, which follows a similar authorial formula with twists and revelations. However, the unreliable dual-timeline narrator of the missing girls felt flat, though I appreciated the final twist.
Advanced copy provided by Macmillan Audio. All opinions are my own.
Can you ever really let someone go? Audrey contemplates this as a volunteer with a local search-and-rescue team. Oftentimes, her work ends in happiness, but what of the times when the person is never found? Haunted by a disappearance from her youth and a discovery today, Audrey is drawn into a mystery implicating powerful families and dangerous enemies.
Fans of Kate Alice Marshall will be happy with the new tale, which follows a similar authorial formula with twists and revelations. However, the unreliable dual-timeline narrator of the missing girls felt flat, though I appreciated the final twist.
Advanced copy provided by Macmillan Audio. All opinions are my own.
March 9, 2026
Haunted by the disappearance of her best friend years earlier, Audrey Dixon has never stopped searching for the lost, and answers about what happened to her friend. When another girl in town vanishes, she volunteers to join the search. But after a routine sweep of the woods uncovers a clue tied to a different missing girl, Audrey begins to suspect the story of a runaway teen may be hiding something far more sinister. Why are girls disappearing in her town? Does it have anything to do with a local boogeyman, called Jenny Red-Hands?
As Audrey digs deeper, it becomes clear that this case may be connected to a pattern of disappearances stretching back years—and that someone, or possibly several people, have been making sure the truth stays buried.
Meanwhile, somewhere underground, a young woman known only as “Stranger” is trapped in a locked basement, surrounded by the desperate messages left behind by girls who came before her. With time and hope running out, she must find a way to escape before she becomes another forgotten name carved into the walls.
I just finished this one and, honestly, that epilogue completely confused me. I’m still not entirely sure what the author was trying to say or what exactly happened there. Sometimes authors try to be a little too clever or ambiguous with their endings, and readers like me are left scratching our heads. Because of that, this one ultimately lands at 3 stars for me!
That said, I really enjoyed the urban-legend element woven throughout the story. It added an extra layer of creepiness that kept me engaged and gave the book a really eerie atmosphere. If you are okay with a bit of a slower-paced, family drama with mystery added, this is definitely the book for you!
As Audrey digs deeper, it becomes clear that this case may be connected to a pattern of disappearances stretching back years—and that someone, or possibly several people, have been making sure the truth stays buried.
Meanwhile, somewhere underground, a young woman known only as “Stranger” is trapped in a locked basement, surrounded by the desperate messages left behind by girls who came before her. With time and hope running out, she must find a way to escape before she becomes another forgotten name carved into the walls.
I just finished this one and, honestly, that epilogue completely confused me. I’m still not entirely sure what the author was trying to say or what exactly happened there. Sometimes authors try to be a little too clever or ambiguous with their endings, and readers like me are left scratching our heads. Because of that, this one ultimately lands at 3 stars for me!
That said, I really enjoyed the urban-legend element woven throughout the story. It added an extra layer of creepiness that kept me engaged and gave the book a really eerie atmosphere. If you are okay with a bit of a slower-paced, family drama with mystery added, this is definitely the book for you!
January 24, 2026
There is a dog in this one!! The dog is safe!
April 7, 2026
This is a dark, haunting, atmospheric mystery that kept me engaged throughout. The narration added intensity and emotion to this unsettling story. The countless twists and turns made this an addictive ride. It's a cleverly crafted beautifully written thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my audiobook.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
"From the bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods, No One Can Know, and A Killing Cold, a new novel about a search & rescue expert, a kidnapped woman, and the lost girls who haunt them both.
There is a girl in a basement.
The door has stopped opening.
The light is gone."
Audrey, a search & rescue expert with a dog you will love is searching for a missing girl. What she stumbles upon brings the past to light and reveals a shocking discovery. Will the missing girl be found in time?
I was glued to this story from start to finish. Told in dual timeline and different perspectives it is a brilliant set up. Above and below, before and after. There are many twists and turns in this propulsive thriller about a captive woman. Please note that this is tastefully done - suspenseful without triggering details. I appreciate how well Kate Alice Marshall told this story in a way that is safe for women to read and has perfect pacing.
The audiobook dual narration by Ina Barron and Karissa Vicker is phenomenal and brings the story to life giving the captured woman and the search amd rescue expert their own unique voice.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the gifted advance listening copy. All opinions are my own. 🎧
There is a girl in a basement.
The door has stopped opening.
The light is gone."
Audrey, a search & rescue expert with a dog you will love is searching for a missing girl. What she stumbles upon brings the past to light and reveals a shocking discovery. Will the missing girl be found in time?
I was glued to this story from start to finish. Told in dual timeline and different perspectives it is a brilliant set up. Above and below, before and after. There are many twists and turns in this propulsive thriller about a captive woman. Please note that this is tastefully done - suspenseful without triggering details. I appreciate how well Kate Alice Marshall told this story in a way that is safe for women to read and has perfect pacing.
The audiobook dual narration by Ina Barron and Karissa Vicker is phenomenal and brings the story to life giving the captured woman and the search amd rescue expert their own unique voice.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the gifted advance listening copy. All opinions are my own. 🎧
October 5, 2025
Talk about long buried secrets…the secrets revealed in The Girls Before will definitely take you by surprise. The book starts out as a slow burn to pique your curiosity about what Audrey is going to do and to get you invested in what is going to happen to the girl below. A fabulous mystery and a story of survival, family and ambition, and how your past (and “what ifs “) can totally take over your life. Another great book by Kate Alice Marshall.
November 11, 2025
I definitely prefer the author’s other books. This was way too slow and honestly did not care for the story or the characters.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
March 17, 2026
This is a book about determination and instincts. Its also all about the who.
This was my first Kate Alice Marshall book and definately wont be my last. Its told in dual POV's that being Audrey and the girl locked in captivity.
There was so much to love about this book. I am a big fan of the missing person trope. I loved the character of Audrey. She followed her instincts, she knew something was going on. Lastly the isolated wood setting. One of my favorite settings.
This was my first Kate Alice Marshall book and definately wont be my last. Its told in dual POV's that being Audrey and the girl locked in captivity.
There was so much to love about this book. I am a big fan of the missing person trope. I loved the character of Audrey. She followed her instincts, she knew something was going on. Lastly the isolated wood setting. One of my favorite settings.
March 11, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In a small town where secrets linger, this thriller centers on school counselor Audrey Dixon, who becomes deeply involved in the disappearance of a teenage girl named Megan Vail. Audrey is a volunteer with the local search and rescue team, and feels that Megan’s case isn’t given the attention it deserves. While some believe Megan ran away, Audrey isn’t convinced, especially after uncovering her own unsettling discoveries.
Audrey’s growing concern soon spirals into obsession, partly due to guilt over her own missing friend from years ago. Her investigation unsettles the local police, especially Len, a longtime friend who advises her to stop. However, Audrey can’t shake the feeling that she needs to keep digging. Megan had once been a student at Audrey’s school, and something about the girl feels eerily familiar. I feel that the “amateur crime sleuth trope” is a bit overdone in mysteries, but in this case, it works fairly well for me. There’s some history here and she’s a likable character who cares. And through her narration, we get to try and solve the mystery too.
The story alternates between Audrey’s search and chilling chapters from an unnamed girl held captive somewhere “below.” She is bound, isolated, and communicates with the spirits of the girls before her. These sections are claustrophobic and haunting, and the uncertainty about her identity and who took her keeps the tension high.
The story also incorporates local folklore, including the town’s long-whispered history of a witch and a troubling pattern of girls who have disappeared over the years. This “witch” story didn’t quite resonate with me. The shifting perspectives are easy to follow and build suspense steadily. I was completely invested in the fate of the captive girl and the buried secrets surrounding the town’s past. Just after the halfway point, you can get a vague sense of the mystery, but it was far more complex and twisted, and the way it plays out was more unsettling than I ever anticipated.
September 10, 2025
Wow.. just Wow! This is one of those books that will not leave your hands. And if you have to put it down, you won’t stop thinking about it. It’s dark, tense, emotionally charged and wonderfully suspenseful. Told in alternating POVs with characters that are hard not to like. Especially Dev and Barry. For those who have read the book, am I right? If you haven’t yet, you’ll see what I mean.
Kate Alice Marshall is at the top of her game. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Many thanks to Edelweiss and Flat Iron Books: Pine & Cedar for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 3, 2026
*https://www.instagram.com/mrsb_book_r...
🌲Pacific Northwest author Kate Alice Marshall, best known for her novel What Lies in the Woods returns with another dark and perplexing thriller titled, The Girls Before. A story of entrapment, imagination, survival, salvation, local legends, superstitions, entrenched secrets and escape, this was a dread filled tale from the international bestselling author.
🌲The Girls Before charts the terrifying ordeal of an unknown woman locked away in the basement holds on to the messages for her by other girls who occupied the basement before her. As this desperate woman wrestles between life and death, escape and freedom fade away hour by hour, day by day. On the flip side a search and rescue figure is hell bent on solving a decades-old disappearance which seems entangled with a prominent local family. Will this crucial investigation unearth key information missing girls from the area?
🌲Kate Alice Marshall is an author I have revisited a few times over now, she is definitely a favourite thriller novelist of mine. The Girls Before is her latest release and it is a book that I opted to read with my fave @nadsylovebooks as a buddy read. Turns out this was a great story to theorise, guess and unpack together, especially when your reading partner is an excellent detective.
🌲The Girls Before delivered a dark, intricately layered and unsettling story. Told via a number of viewpoints, shifting from an ‘above’, ‘below’, ‘before’, ‘after’, ‘now’ and alternating protagonist perspectives across three parts this is an involving story. One that will keep you on your toes throughout, it will ensure you conjure up plenty of theories and reasons for the unsettling happenings in the book. This is a tale that is full of mood, rich tension and an incessant search for the truth. I know I was centrally motivated to read this one to discover the truth as to what happened to the group of missing girls.
Marshall includes themes within her new novel of small town secrets, potential concealment, power, influential behaviour, wrongdoing, trauma, the impact of the past, obsession, truth telling, public exposure, survival behaviour, resilience, belief, intuition, myths, conjecture and reality.
My only difficulty with this one was that in some places it was a tad confusing and it some spots a bit more back seat style slow burn than her other books. The atmosphere, the creeping sense of unease, the sense of danger and all the surprising plot reveals along the way kept me engaged. A very big thank you to my fantastic and super patient buddy reader Nadine who stuck with me as usual despite the ups and downs of life while I read this one.
3.75 stars (rounded to 4)
Thank you to @macmillianaus for the review copy.
🌲Pacific Northwest author Kate Alice Marshall, best known for her novel What Lies in the Woods returns with another dark and perplexing thriller titled, The Girls Before. A story of entrapment, imagination, survival, salvation, local legends, superstitions, entrenched secrets and escape, this was a dread filled tale from the international bestselling author.
🌲The Girls Before charts the terrifying ordeal of an unknown woman locked away in the basement holds on to the messages for her by other girls who occupied the basement before her. As this desperate woman wrestles between life and death, escape and freedom fade away hour by hour, day by day. On the flip side a search and rescue figure is hell bent on solving a decades-old disappearance which seems entangled with a prominent local family. Will this crucial investigation unearth key information missing girls from the area?
🌲Kate Alice Marshall is an author I have revisited a few times over now, she is definitely a favourite thriller novelist of mine. The Girls Before is her latest release and it is a book that I opted to read with my fave @nadsylovebooks as a buddy read. Turns out this was a great story to theorise, guess and unpack together, especially when your reading partner is an excellent detective.
🌲The Girls Before delivered a dark, intricately layered and unsettling story. Told via a number of viewpoints, shifting from an ‘above’, ‘below’, ‘before’, ‘after’, ‘now’ and alternating protagonist perspectives across three parts this is an involving story. One that will keep you on your toes throughout, it will ensure you conjure up plenty of theories and reasons for the unsettling happenings in the book. This is a tale that is full of mood, rich tension and an incessant search for the truth. I know I was centrally motivated to read this one to discover the truth as to what happened to the group of missing girls.
Marshall includes themes within her new novel of small town secrets, potential concealment, power, influential behaviour, wrongdoing, trauma, the impact of the past, obsession, truth telling, public exposure, survival behaviour, resilience, belief, intuition, myths, conjecture and reality.
My only difficulty with this one was that in some places it was a tad confusing and it some spots a bit more back seat style slow burn than her other books. The atmosphere, the creeping sense of unease, the sense of danger and all the surprising plot reveals along the way kept me engaged. A very big thank you to my fantastic and super patient buddy reader Nadine who stuck with me as usual despite the ups and downs of life while I read this one.
3.75 stars (rounded to 4)
Thank you to @macmillianaus for the review copy.
April 21, 2026
I give this one 4.5 ⭐️’s with a round up!! I am so enraged right now. This dark, twisted, inconceivable “No they didn’t just do what I think they did!” tell of sheer horror story was absolutely EPIC!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽Bravo!! This was storytelling at its finest! If it wasn’t for the main character I would have gave this a perfect 5. Her obsession even pushed me away LOL 😂
Look there is a lot going on here with tons of layers, but when it all starts to come together it’s so worth it. This is a true thriller full of dark drama that will hunt you for about 20 minutes after you finish it!! Highly recommend…..Very Well Done Thank You! 🙏🏽
Look there is a lot going on here with tons of layers, but when it all starts to come together it’s so worth it. This is a true thriller full of dark drama that will hunt you for about 20 minutes after you finish it!! Highly recommend…..Very Well Done Thank You! 🙏🏽
March 12, 2026
This was a solid thriller! It did start kind of slow, but definitely picked up. Parts were a little far fetched, but I guess that's why they call it fiction! Narration was decent too.
Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 31, 2026
I love Kate Alice Marshall, and I have recommended her books to so many of my friends. My favorite thing about her writing is the way she always has just a touch of creepy, almost supernatural spookiness layered into stories of real world nightmares.
In The Girls Before, our spooky story is the Bloody Mary, Blair Witch-esque Jenny Red Hands, and our real world nightmare is a town with a history of disappearing young women.
As you can imagine, I was beyond excited to start this one. And there were elements that I enjoyed. I was very into the Jenny Red Hands story, and I wish it had played a bigger part in the overall plot, or that it had wound more tightly into the main story. Ultimately I felt like it was flashy and fun, but if it had been completely removed, it wouldn’t have really made a difference to the characters or events. I do have to admit that this was probably on purpose though. The book did make a point about how legends like these sometimes take away or distract from real tragedies, and I thought that was an interesting and important observation. So, much as I personally may have just straight up preferred a Jenny Red Hands book, I guess I’m ultimately glad that in this one, the focus was on the real world side of things.
It was also super twisty, and I can always appreciate being kept on my toes. However, I will say that it was one of those ones where I made a wild guess about what I thought was going on, it twisted away from that, then it twisted again and again and again until it twisted all the way back around to my original guess. I don’t know if that’s quite the same thing as being predictable, but it does still sort of bum you out. Also, despite the twists and turns, there were several sections that felt slow to me. I saw another review that called it “a slow burn thriller,” and I think that is the perfect was to describe it. I felt like everything was happening but nothing was happening throughout quite a bit of this book, and when I set it down, I wasn’t always excited to start it up again.
I listened to The Girls Before on audio, and I think the narrators did a good job. They were easy to listen to and each handled their chapters well. However, I think this story probably works better in print format. There were a few times when I got confused about who was speaking. I also kept feeling a need to go back and reexamine details and information we were given earlier, which would have been easy to flip to in a printed version - not so simple on audio. This is not in any way a criticism of the quality of the audio production, just perhaps something that would have worked better for me.
Overall, it wasn’t my favorite of Kate Alice Marshall’s books, but I still think it was enjoyable! It’s got a very intriguing premise, and it will definitely be a perfect fit for many readers. It’s expected on February 24, 2026!
Thank you so much to Kate Alice Marshall, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for giving me access to this alc in exchange for an honest review.
In The Girls Before, our spooky story is the Bloody Mary, Blair Witch-esque Jenny Red Hands, and our real world nightmare is a town with a history of disappearing young women.
As you can imagine, I was beyond excited to start this one. And there were elements that I enjoyed. I was very into the Jenny Red Hands story, and I wish it had played a bigger part in the overall plot, or that it had wound more tightly into the main story. Ultimately I felt like it was flashy and fun, but if it had been completely removed, it wouldn’t have really made a difference to the characters or events. I do have to admit that this was probably on purpose though. The book did make a point about how legends like these sometimes take away or distract from real tragedies, and I thought that was an interesting and important observation. So, much as I personally may have just straight up preferred a Jenny Red Hands book, I guess I’m ultimately glad that in this one, the focus was on the real world side of things.
It was also super twisty, and I can always appreciate being kept on my toes. However, I will say that it was one of those ones where I made a wild guess about what I thought was going on, it twisted away from that, then it twisted again and again and again until it twisted all the way back around to my original guess. I don’t know if that’s quite the same thing as being predictable, but it does still sort of bum you out. Also, despite the twists and turns, there were several sections that felt slow to me. I saw another review that called it “a slow burn thriller,” and I think that is the perfect was to describe it. I felt like everything was happening but nothing was happening throughout quite a bit of this book, and when I set it down, I wasn’t always excited to start it up again.
I listened to The Girls Before on audio, and I think the narrators did a good job. They were easy to listen to and each handled their chapters well. However, I think this story probably works better in print format. There were a few times when I got confused about who was speaking. I also kept feeling a need to go back and reexamine details and information we were given earlier, which would have been easy to flip to in a printed version - not so simple on audio. This is not in any way a criticism of the quality of the audio production, just perhaps something that would have worked better for me.
Overall, it wasn’t my favorite of Kate Alice Marshall’s books, but I still think it was enjoyable! It’s got a very intriguing premise, and it will definitely be a perfect fit for many readers. It’s expected on February 24, 2026!
Thank you so much to Kate Alice Marshall, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for giving me access to this alc in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2026
I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did but it just ended up not being for me.
Why?
-it was so convoluted, confusing
—even when it finally started coming together I was back and forth trying to figure out the timeline of what happened when and didn’t think I could validate some of it
-it was pretty far-fetched and I needed to suspend disbelief (imo) to carry on with it (the big twist)
-without spoilers, it drove me nuts having to wait until the epilogue for absolute confirmation of what we finally learned.
—the earlier twist was the big thing and I felt like the epilogue info could’ve arrived sooner and so many other things would’ve made more sense.
-I usually enjoy a multi timeline but the way this was vaguely labeled left me confused more often than I care to admit, leading to a lack of enjoyment.
-I didn’t particularly care for many of the characters either, tbh. Audrey’s obsession was…a lot. Janie’s frenemy traits pissed me off. Len was the most likable character for me, and the rest, well…no.
What to expect:
- [x] Multi pov
- [x] Dual timeline
- [x] Twists
Topic(s): missing girls, family drama
Audiobook:
Narrator(s): Karissa Vacker, Ina Barron
1.5x
Flow and Pacing:
- [x] Engaging
- [x] Slow
Recommend:
Maybe. People who enjoy big twists, regardless of plausibility, will likely glom onto this one and enjoy it. I’d be surprised if many are able to figure it out fully!
(My favorite Marshall books are A Killing Cold, No One Can Know and What Lies in the Woods.)
Quotes:
“What is the world but a set of jaws.”
With thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance listening copy.
Why?
-it was so convoluted, confusing
—even when it finally started coming together I was back and forth trying to figure out the timeline of what happened when and didn’t think I could validate some of it
-it was pretty far-fetched and I needed to suspend disbelief (imo) to carry on with it (the big twist)
-without spoilers, it drove me nuts having to wait until the epilogue for absolute confirmation of what we finally learned.
—the earlier twist was the big thing and I felt like the epilogue info could’ve arrived sooner and so many other things would’ve made more sense.
-I usually enjoy a multi timeline but the way this was vaguely labeled left me confused more often than I care to admit, leading to a lack of enjoyment.
-I didn’t particularly care for many of the characters either, tbh. Audrey’s obsession was…a lot. Janie’s frenemy traits pissed me off. Len was the most likable character for me, and the rest, well…no.
What to expect:
- [x] Multi pov
- [x] Dual timeline
- [x] Twists
Topic(s): missing girls, family drama
Audiobook:
Narrator(s): Karissa Vacker, Ina Barron
1.5x
Flow and Pacing:
- [x] Engaging
- [x] Slow
Recommend:
Maybe. People who enjoy big twists, regardless of plausibility, will likely glom onto this one and enjoy it. I’d be surprised if many are able to figure it out fully!
(My favorite Marshall books are A Killing Cold, No One Can Know and What Lies in the Woods.)
Quotes:
“What is the world but a set of jaws.”
With thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance listening copy.
March 10, 2026
Once again, I am an outlier among the many 4 and 5 star reviews. This was just ok for me. Too confusing and too many forced plot twists. My favorite character was the dog.
February 24, 2026
What a twisted thriller! This is what I’m talking about!
The Girls Before completely hooked me from the very first page. It’s chilling, gripping, and utterly impossible to put down. I couldn’t rest until I finished, I had to know what was going to happen next! 😂
This psychological suspense is dark, layered, and filled with an eerie, atmospheric tension that lingers long after you turn the final page. The setting adds so much to the unsettling tone, creating a constant sense of unease that keeps you on edge throughout.
Kate Alice Marshall proves once again that she is incredibly talented. After reading several of her books, she has officially become one of my auto buy authors. She has such a gift for crafting twisty plots and deeply compelling characters that pull you in and refuse to let go.
If you love dark, psychological thrillers that keep you guessing, I definitely recommend this one!
Thank you so much to Flatiron Books and Kate Alice Marshall for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
The Girls Before completely hooked me from the very first page. It’s chilling, gripping, and utterly impossible to put down. I couldn’t rest until I finished, I had to know what was going to happen next! 😂
This psychological suspense is dark, layered, and filled with an eerie, atmospheric tension that lingers long after you turn the final page. The setting adds so much to the unsettling tone, creating a constant sense of unease that keeps you on edge throughout.
Kate Alice Marshall proves once again that she is incredibly talented. After reading several of her books, she has officially become one of my auto buy authors. She has such a gift for crafting twisty plots and deeply compelling characters that pull you in and refuse to let go.
If you love dark, psychological thrillers that keep you guessing, I definitely recommend this one!
Thank you so much to Flatiron Books and Kate Alice Marshall for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 13, 2026
In the Pacific Northwest town of Franklin, Audrey Dixon volunteers for the local Search and Rescue department and serves as a high school advisor. She is haunted by the disappearance of her former best friend Janie, who vanished years ago without a trace. Her current focus is on locating the latest missing young woman, Meghan Vale. Relying on her excellent skills and instincts, Audrey believes that the Hill family property might contain critical clues to both Janie's and Meghan's disappearances. With multiple perspectives and timelines, it becomes evident that while Audrey investigates "Above," there is someone "Under" who is being held captive, struggling to survive in a dark place surrounded by inscriptions left by previous victims.
The Girls Before, a gripping and often claustrophobic story by Kate Alice Marshall, kept me fully engaged. The tension remained high throughout as Audrey repeatedly put herself in danger while time was running out for the unnamed young woman being held captive. To lighten things a bit, Marshall included a bit of romance for Audrey as well as Barry, her wonderful dog. The book takes some surprising turns which happily caught me off guard. Switching between reading and listening to the audio version heightened the drama and the pervasive feeling of unease.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
The Girls Before, a gripping and often claustrophobic story by Kate Alice Marshall, kept me fully engaged. The tension remained high throughout as Audrey repeatedly put herself in danger while time was running out for the unnamed young woman being held captive. To lighten things a bit, Marshall included a bit of romance for Audrey as well as Barry, her wonderful dog. The book takes some surprising turns which happily caught me off guard. Switching between reading and listening to the audio version heightened the drama and the pervasive feeling of unease.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
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