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Alexandria Novels #3
Before She Dies
“Will have readers sleeping with the lights on.” --Publishers Weekly ( Starred Review)
HE IS THEIR JUDGE…
In death, they are purified. Holding his victims under water, he washes away their sins as they struggle for their last breath. Then he stakes their bodies to the ground, exposing them for what they really are. Witches, sent to tempt and to corrupt…
JURY…
No one knows about defense attorney Charlotte Wellington’s murdered sister, or about her childhood spent with the carnival that’s just arrived in town. For Charlotte, what’s past is past. But others don’t agree. And as a madman’s body count rises, she and Detective Daniel Rokov are drawn into a mission that’s become terrifyingly personal…
AND EXECUTIONER
At last, she is within his reach. All his victims deserve their fate, but her guilt is greatest. And with every scream, he will make her see what it means to suffer and repent—before she dies…
“Stieg Larsson fans will find a lot to like in Burton’s taut, well-paced novel.” — Publishers Weekly on Senseless
HE IS THEIR JUDGE…
In death, they are purified. Holding his victims under water, he washes away their sins as they struggle for their last breath. Then he stakes their bodies to the ground, exposing them for what they really are. Witches, sent to tempt and to corrupt…
JURY…
No one knows about defense attorney Charlotte Wellington’s murdered sister, or about her childhood spent with the carnival that’s just arrived in town. For Charlotte, what’s past is past. But others don’t agree. And as a madman’s body count rises, she and Detective Daniel Rokov are drawn into a mission that’s become terrifyingly personal…
AND EXECUTIONER
At last, she is within his reach. All his victims deserve their fate, but her guilt is greatest. And with every scream, he will make her see what it means to suffer and repent—before she dies…
“Stieg Larsson fans will find a lot to like in Burton’s taut, well-paced novel.” — Publishers Weekly on Senseless
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 31, 2012
1062 people are currently reading
2036 people want to read
About the author
Mary Burton
69 books4,161 followersMary Burton, whose latest novel is THE LIES I TOLD, loves writing suspense, getting to know her characters, keeping up with law enforcement and forensic procedure, morning walks, baking, and tiny dachshunds. She also enjoys hunting down serial killers, which she does in her New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels. Library Journal has compared her work to that of Lisa Jackson and Lisa Gardner, and Fresh Fiction likened her writing to that of James Patterson.
Mary is routinely featured among the top ten writers in Amazon’s Author Rankings for romantic suspense, thriller and mystery. Upon publication, her novels, including NEVER LOOK BACK and BURN YOU TWICE, consistently rank high on the Kindle eBooks Store Bestseller List. Her novels CUT AND RUN and YOU'RE NOT SAFE were nominated for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for Romantic Suspense.
A Richmond native, Mary is the author of forty-five published novels and five novellas as Mary Burton and as Mary Ellen Taylor.
A member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Novelists, Inc., and Romance Writers of America, Mary is known for creating multiple suspense stories connected by characters and/or place.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 317 reviews
July 29, 2017
I'm a Mary Burton fan and I've been going back and reading some of her books that I missed before I discovered her. This was a little off beat with the carnival aspect and the "psychic" aspect, but the story line didn't linger too much in that territory. I did guess the two twists, but still enjoyed reading to see if I was right.
The characters were good and I definitely liked Daniel's grandmother. I liked Charlotte and Daniel together, although I'm not a fan of the "let's keep it just sex". I did like that Daniel was the one who pushed for more and could definitely see Charlotte's character fighting her feelings.
The epilogue tied everything up with a bow and since I prefer stand alone novels I definitely appreciated this.
Note: I have now read the "Senseless Duo" which are Book #1 Senseless and Book #2 Merciless. Before she dies follows these two books and if you have the option I would read it after reading Senseless and Merciless. You don't have to, it does stand alone, but I would call these books "A 3 book Arlinton, VA series".
The characters were good and I definitely liked Daniel's grandmother. I liked Charlotte and Daniel together, although I'm not a fan of the "let's keep it just sex". I did like that Daniel was the one who pushed for more and could definitely see Charlotte's character fighting her feelings.
The epilogue tied everything up with a bow and since I prefer stand alone novels I definitely appreciated this.
Note: I have now read the "Senseless Duo" which are Book #1 Senseless and Book #2 Merciless. Before she dies follows these two books and if you have the option I would read it after reading Senseless and Merciless. You don't have to, it does stand alone, but I would call these books "A 3 book Arlinton, VA series".
August 7, 2025
This is an entertaining, well-written, fast paced romantic suspense novel. It has a likable, intelligent female protagonist, a heroic male protagonist, murder, mystery, intrigue, secrets, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. This is the third entry in Ms. Burton's Alexandria series, and it can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone. Her loyal readers will appreciate the appearance of characters from the previous novels in the series, which I am looking forward to reading with great anticipation. I listened to the audio version of this book, and the narrator, Ms. Johanna Parker, has a lovely voice and does an wonderful job voicing the characters. I also own the paperback version of this outstanding novel.
September 13, 2025
Just what I needed to take my mind off of things!!! It’s not the best Mary Burton book I have come across, but due to its ability to keep me engaged and my mind occupied, it has earned a solid 4⭐️’s from me! Other books of hers have been much more suspenseful and thrilling, but this was an excellent distraction for my current desperate need to be distracted.
The mc’s were quite likeable. It’s part of a series, but not having read the other books didn’t seem to affect much for me. Probably just a few secondary character backgrounds that weren’t necessary to follow along with the current story.
The romance was a bit corny to me, but that’s just kind of how I am in regard to romance now. Makes me a bit sad because I used to love that genre! It was sweet and cute which equals corny in Marta world. Oh how times have changed!! 🤪😕.
Oh!! my niggling thought about the murderer was spot on!! Well done me, I must say. 😁.
Thoughts and rating posted: 9/13/25
The mc’s were quite likeable. It’s part of a series, but not having read the other books didn’t seem to affect much for me. Probably just a few secondary character backgrounds that weren’t necessary to follow along with the current story.
The romance was a bit corny to me, but that’s just kind of how I am in regard to romance now. Makes me a bit sad because I used to love that genre! It was sweet and cute which equals corny in Marta world. Oh how times have changed!! 🤪😕.
Oh!! my niggling thought about the murderer was spot on!! Well done me, I must say. 😁.
Thoughts and rating posted: 9/13/25
December 27, 2011
This is not my personal taste as far as romantic suspense (don't like reading about twisted serial killers), so I don't have much of a basis for comparison. Overall, it was pretty decent, and I did appreciate Charlotte and Daniel Rokov (of Russian heritage) as main characters, and they had good chemistry. The killer was one sick puppy!
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
February 23, 2012
Despite its label of Romantic Suspense, this book has barely any romance. In the beginning of the book, when I was enjoying it, I thought I might like the overall story despite my irritation with not delivering on the promised “R” in “RS.” Unfortunately, that optimism only holds true when I’m actually enjoying said book.
I really liked the beginning of the book. It opens with the hero and heroine already sleeping together, which I haven’t seen very often in Romance. But don’t get the impression that they’re in a relationship. They’re not, they’re just knocking boots. Daniel, the hero, wants more, but Charlotte, the heroine, is not interested in ties. She just wants sex. Although it was weird to feel like I was a few steps behind in their relationship, I liked seeing the stereotypical gender roles reversed and was interested in seeing them slowly grow toward an intimate connection.
Charlotte is an attorney and Daniel is a cop, so their professional lives occasionally intersect. When Daniel starts investigating a string of murders related to the carnival that Charlotte used to work for, she finds herself involved in the case. It was a good thing that Charlotte was drawn into the case, because otherwise they would have had no interaction together. Their separate lives had way more page time than any time that they spent together. At first I liked getting to see all the mundane aspects in their day to day lives, but it eventually became old. I wanted to see them together. I liked that the author maintained some realism and made their professions feel necessary to their lives and to the plot, but I needed a better balance on the romance end. Charlotte was so cold that relationship building was really necessary to make their eventual connection believable.
Charlotte was an interesting character, although I didn’t like her much. I was put off by her cold behavior in the beginning but looked forward to her shell eventually cracking to show us the real woman. Well…that shell only seemed to reveal more ice. It wasn’t until approximately 40 pages from the end that the heroine would even consent to use the hero’s first name. She preferred to call him Detective to avoid any false impression of intimacy. She was…odd. I didn’t understand her, but I found her interesting in a distant, character study sort of way. I couldn’t really figure out why anyone liked her, though. At one point her coworkers stop to have a quick celebration (with her) at work and all she can think about is how many wasted man hours are in the room with her. Seriously. That was not a rare comment, either. That’s just the type of person she was.
She was neurotically ashamed about her past “carnie” connections and ruthlessly groomed herself to appear like she was educated in a private school. I didn’t really understand her hang up. Especially since nothing earth shattering happened once she was forced to reveal it to the world. It made her seem a little snobby and small minded. I know that some of the carnival workers lived down to her expectations, but I felt it was a little too two dimensional to feel realistic. Also, I found it hilarious that she was more ashamed of growing up around the carnival than she was about the fact that she stripped her way through college.
I liked the hero, although I never understood why he liked the heroine. His grandmother was great and I loved the little bits we saw of them together. His interactions with his family and his partner really emphasized what a downright decent guy he was. I think that’s why the differences in between him and Charlotte were so glaring. Although I liked Daniel more than Charlotte, I still never felt a strong connection to him. The whole book felt a bit clinical. I stayed distant from everything throughout the read.
Other than that, there were a few things that seemed out of place or just plain wrong. There was a supernatural/seer angle that seemed odd and out of place. I really don’t know what that added to the story. I won’t bother to list all the things that rubbed against me wrong, but I can’t finish this review without mentioning something that drove me nuts.
I found the serial killer creepy and liked the parts of the book revolving around him, but for such a long build up the story sure wrapped up in a hurry. All of a sudden it was over in a snap.
Favorite Quote:
*Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen*
I really liked the beginning of the book. It opens with the hero and heroine already sleeping together, which I haven’t seen very often in Romance. But don’t get the impression that they’re in a relationship. They’re not, they’re just knocking boots. Daniel, the hero, wants more, but Charlotte, the heroine, is not interested in ties. She just wants sex. Although it was weird to feel like I was a few steps behind in their relationship, I liked seeing the stereotypical gender roles reversed and was interested in seeing them slowly grow toward an intimate connection.
Charlotte is an attorney and Daniel is a cop, so their professional lives occasionally intersect. When Daniel starts investigating a string of murders related to the carnival that Charlotte used to work for, she finds herself involved in the case. It was a good thing that Charlotte was drawn into the case, because otherwise they would have had no interaction together. Their separate lives had way more page time than any time that they spent together. At first I liked getting to see all the mundane aspects in their day to day lives, but it eventually became old. I wanted to see them together. I liked that the author maintained some realism and made their professions feel necessary to their lives and to the plot, but I needed a better balance on the romance end. Charlotte was so cold that relationship building was really necessary to make their eventual connection believable.
Charlotte was an interesting character, although I didn’t like her much. I was put off by her cold behavior in the beginning but looked forward to her shell eventually cracking to show us the real woman. Well…that shell only seemed to reveal more ice. It wasn’t until approximately 40 pages from the end that the heroine would even consent to use the hero’s first name. She preferred to call him Detective to avoid any false impression of intimacy. She was…odd. I didn’t understand her, but I found her interesting in a distant, character study sort of way. I couldn’t really figure out why anyone liked her, though. At one point her coworkers stop to have a quick celebration (with her) at work and all she can think about is how many wasted man hours are in the room with her. Seriously. That was not a rare comment, either. That’s just the type of person she was.
She was neurotically ashamed about her past “carnie” connections and ruthlessly groomed herself to appear like she was educated in a private school. I didn’t really understand her hang up. Especially since nothing earth shattering happened once she was forced to reveal it to the world. It made her seem a little snobby and small minded. I know that some of the carnival workers lived down to her expectations, but I felt it was a little too two dimensional to feel realistic. Also, I found it hilarious that she was more ashamed of growing up around the carnival than she was about the fact that she stripped her way through college.
I liked the hero, although I never understood why he liked the heroine. His grandmother was great and I loved the little bits we saw of them together. His interactions with his family and his partner really emphasized what a downright decent guy he was. I think that’s why the differences in between him and Charlotte were so glaring. Although I liked Daniel more than Charlotte, I still never felt a strong connection to him. The whole book felt a bit clinical. I stayed distant from everything throughout the read.
Other than that, there were a few things that seemed out of place or just plain wrong. There was a supernatural/seer angle that seemed odd and out of place. I really don’t know what that added to the story. I won’t bother to list all the things that rubbed against me wrong, but I can’t finish this review without mentioning something that drove me nuts.
I found the serial killer creepy and liked the parts of the book revolving around him, but for such a long build up the story sure wrapped up in a hurry. All of a sudden it was over in a snap.
Favorite Quote:
"I'm living vicariously through you, Danny-boy. My love life is a wasteland. Plus, I like to watch you get revved up when I mention her name. Charlotte. Charlotte. Charlotte."
*Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen*
May 18, 2018
A brief slow start but very worth it!
April 27, 2017
Before She Dies
3 Stars
At first glance, successful defense attorney Charlotte Wellington has nothing in common with the women being targeted by a killer obsessed with witchcraft and the occult. However, Charlotte is keeping a secret - a childhood spent with a travelling carnival and the death of her sister at the hands of a maniac. As Charlotte's past and present collide, she and Detective Daniel Rokov will have to join forces to catch a madman before he strikes closer to home.
The beginning is excellent with a gripping suspense story and an intriguing romance, but the book ultimately fails to live up to its potential.
At the start, Charlotte and Daniel are already in a sexual relationship, which is unusual for the romantic suspense genre. Nevertheless, it is also very compelling, especially since their professions have them working in close proximity, and there is an almost forbidden feel to their romance. Unfortunately, the physical intimacy never manages to evolve into a believable emotional connection mainly due to Charlotte's reticence.
In terms of the serial killer plot, Burton's research is accurate and the descriptions realistic. That said, the villain's identity is predicable, and there is insufficient foreshadowing. Moreover, some of the situations feel contrived, and the info dump at the end would not have been necessary if the details had been merged into the narrative properly.
All in all, worth a read for the action and suspense even though the romance is lacking.
3 Stars
At first glance, successful defense attorney Charlotte Wellington has nothing in common with the women being targeted by a killer obsessed with witchcraft and the occult. However, Charlotte is keeping a secret - a childhood spent with a travelling carnival and the death of her sister at the hands of a maniac. As Charlotte's past and present collide, she and Detective Daniel Rokov will have to join forces to catch a madman before he strikes closer to home.
The beginning is excellent with a gripping suspense story and an intriguing romance, but the book ultimately fails to live up to its potential.
At the start, Charlotte and Daniel are already in a sexual relationship, which is unusual for the romantic suspense genre. Nevertheless, it is also very compelling, especially since their professions have them working in close proximity, and there is an almost forbidden feel to their romance. Unfortunately, the physical intimacy never manages to evolve into a believable emotional connection mainly due to Charlotte's reticence.
In terms of the serial killer plot, Burton's research is accurate and the descriptions realistic. That said, the villain's identity is predicable, and there is insufficient foreshadowing. Moreover, some of the situations feel contrived, and the info dump at the end would not have been necessary if the details had been merged into the narrative properly.
All in all, worth a read for the action and suspense even though the romance is lacking.
July 11, 2020
Someone been killing those that he feels are witches. From tarot card readers to those that read palms. He doesn't care.
Grace survive back when she was 16. Her sister was killed but she never knew the truth.
Now a lawyer no longer working with the carnival but the killer is still out there and now wants someone closed to her again.
Interesting
Enjoyed the mystery.
Grace survive back when she was 16. Her sister was killed but she never knew the truth.
Now a lawyer no longer working with the carnival but the killer is still out there and now wants someone closed to her again.
Interesting
Enjoyed the mystery.
August 7, 2019
The book was ok but it had three major inconsistencies, one of which drove me mad! I can't believe that someone edited and possibly proofread this book and hasn't spotted them! In the chapter headed 'Monday', the woman which will get kidnapped is in a cafe and a waiter talks about her usual Friday order. Couple of chapters later she's being reported to have been missing since Friday which again isn't true!
And the killer has killed 18 women before his last planned double murder but when asked by his victim how many he had killed, he says 'after tonight it will be twelve'. Again - incorrect!!!
They're not even spelling mistakes (although there were some of those as well!) - they're major plot inconsistencies! Shame on Penguin to let it slip!
And the killer has killed 18 women before his last planned double murder but when asked by his victim how many he had killed, he says 'after tonight it will be twelve'. Again - incorrect!!!
They're not even spelling mistakes (although there were some of those as well!) - they're major plot inconsistencies! Shame on Penguin to let it slip!
April 22, 2017
Charlotte Wellington is a high-profile attorney – a cold, stand-offish, all-business woman who appears to be living the high life while hiding a past that haunts and embarrasses her. She has a friends-with-benefits relationship with Detective Daniel Rokov, although he would like it to be more. Daniel is working a case that appears to be linked to a traveling carnival. The serial killer is kidnapping and murdering women he believes to be witches. But before he can kill them, he must force a confession out of them and make them repent. In due time, everything appears to link back to Charlotte as secrets are slowly revealed. How is she involved? Will the truth she’s hiding get her killed?
The first half of the story is very slow paced – to the point that it became a distraction for me. I felt a disconnection with the main characters and kept waiting for something more to happen. Still, I found the plot line intriguing and continued reading. The action picks up in the second half as more women are murdered, and readers learn more about Charlotte’s connection to it all. A few twists and turns adds some depth to the story and a big reveal is made near the end. I figured out who the killer was with relative ease as there really wasn’t many possibilities to pick from, and this one seemed obvious to me. When the ending finally came, it felt a little abrupt but things are wrapped up neatly.
The first half of the story is very slow paced – to the point that it became a distraction for me. I felt a disconnection with the main characters and kept waiting for something more to happen. Still, I found the plot line intriguing and continued reading. The action picks up in the second half as more women are murdered, and readers learn more about Charlotte’s connection to it all. A few twists and turns adds some depth to the story and a big reveal is made near the end. I figured out who the killer was with relative ease as there really wasn’t many possibilities to pick from, and this one seemed obvious to me. When the ending finally came, it felt a little abrupt but things are wrapped up neatly.
December 9, 2018
I liked the cover and plus, I needed a book to fit a reading a challenge I'm working on. This falls into the genres of romance and suspense and overall, it was just okay for me. I liked the mystery aspect of this, so I can give this 2 stars. I just wasn't pulled in otherwise.
The characters felt like they were merely stepping stones for the progression of the story. While the villain was perfectly creepy, I wanted the others to be fleshed out a little more. The author hit her plot points perfectly, but I wanted the emotional drama to be worthy of such a villain.
The characters felt like they were merely stepping stones for the progression of the story. While the villain was perfectly creepy, I wanted the others to be fleshed out a little more. The author hit her plot points perfectly, but I wanted the emotional drama to be worthy of such a villain.
April 13, 2024
Šo atvēru uz labu laimi, pēc (ne šī, bet tā, kas audiogrāmatai) vāciņa spriežot, ka droši vien trilleris. Pirmā nodaļa iepazīstina ar raganu mednieku, misijā atpestīt pasauli no ļaunuma, izspiežot no tām atdzīšanos un nosūtītu pie dieva. Raganas šajā gadījumā, protams, ir nevainīgas sievietes, kas piekopj ezotēriku. Un jau gandrīz noDNFoju pēc pirmās nodaļas, bet nolēmu paturpināt.
Un biju pārsteigta, kad iepazīstot varoņu sižeta līnijas, sajutu interesi. Jo trilleri un krimiķi tomēr nav mans lauciņš. Bet attiecības starp emocionāli noslēgto aizstāvības advokāti Šarloti un slepkavību izmeklētāju Danielu Rokovu, tika pietiekami attīstītas, lai manai romantiskajai dvēselei būtu, kam pieķerties un noturētu interesi. 😁 Lai gan vēlāk sapratu, ka mani interesē arī pati izmeklēšana un nelielais ieskats advokātu darbā. Sāku minēt, kurš tad ir slepkava. Neatminēju. 😅 Un varbūt tikai tāpēc, ka savā galvā jau biju iztēlojusies kaut ko citu, rezultāts mani līdz galam neapmierināja. 😁 Kulminācijā gaidīju arī kaut ko psiholoģiski dziļu un paliku gribot. 😁
Par to, cik brutālas skaistās šīs slepkavības arī nevaru spriest, jo nav nekas daudz ar ko salīdzināt. 😁
Un biju pārsteigta, kad iepazīstot varoņu sižeta līnijas, sajutu interesi. Jo trilleri un krimiķi tomēr nav mans lauciņš. Bet attiecības starp emocionāli noslēgto aizstāvības advokāti Šarloti un slepkavību izmeklētāju Danielu Rokovu, tika pietiekami attīstītas, lai manai romantiskajai dvēselei būtu, kam pieķerties un noturētu interesi. 😁 Lai gan vēlāk sapratu, ka mani interesē arī pati izmeklēšana un nelielais ieskats advokātu darbā. Sāku minēt, kurš tad ir slepkava. Neatminēju. 😅 Un varbūt tikai tāpēc, ka savā galvā jau biju iztēlojusies kaut ko citu, rezultāts mani līdz galam neapmierināja. 😁 Kulminācijā gaidīju arī kaut ko psiholoģiski dziļu un paliku gribot. 😁
Par to, cik brutālas skaistās šīs slepkavības arī nevaru spriest, jo nav nekas daudz ar ko salīdzināt. 😁
October 22, 2019
"Awesome, Mind-Blowing Novel"
This is another very well-written thrilling story with many twists and turns. It will captivate you and you'll be sitting on the edge of your seat, your jaw dropped! It's a thrill a minute, and I loved it!
This is another very well-written thrilling story with many twists and turns. It will captivate you and you'll be sitting on the edge of your seat, your jaw dropped! It's a thrill a minute, and I loved it!
May 5, 2022
Good, but not as good as the first book of hers I read. The end felt too rushed also.
October 23, 2024
This was an okay read. I guessed the killer easily. There was one twist that caught me off guard. But then it didn’t make sense with adoption. The person wouldn’t need someone else to do it. That could have been done by that person at birth or even after. They didn’t need someone else to do it for them. So that was a poorly conceived plot point. The narration was good.
July 7, 2024
Good read about a killer and several women who have a past that catches up to them. Fastpaced read liked the plot and characters. Look forward to reading more by this author.
February 22, 2012
Reviewed By~Ursula
Review Copy Provided By~Joan Schulhafer Publishing and Media Consulting
Charlotte is a strong, independent ball buster of an attorney. Time is money and work is everything...at least that is how Charlotte feels. She's viewed by others as a no nonsense, no holds barred defense attorney that was raised in high society. But she has secrets, big secrets! She prefers to be alone and not have to depend on or confide in anyone, but Rokov, a local detective wants to change that.
The carnival has arrived in town, the one Grace, now calling herself Charlotte, grew up in and finally broke away at age sixteen. She has worked hard to leave her past behind her, but it's back with a vengeance. Now her step-dad, Grady, who runs the carnival, is knocking on her door to ask for her professional help to save Sooner, the only family Charlotte has left, the one person she thought had a chance to have a normal life. But Grady broke his promise and Sooner didn't have the life Charlotte had hoped she would.
To top it all off, there is a ritualistic killer on the loose that has his eye on her. She will have to fight for more than her reputation...her life is at stake.
Mary Burton has written a multi-layered, fast paced and high energy story. Before She Dies is well written and pulls you right into the story. You won't want to put the book down until you get to the last word...The plot is intricate and delivers raw emotions and fear that grabs hold and has you holding your breath waiting for the next turn of the page.
I would have liked to have had a little more interaction between Charlotte and Sooner and between Charlotte and Rokov, but there was enough to get you hooked. I recommend Before She Dies to fans of Karen Robards and Lisa Jackson.
Review Copy Provided By~Joan Schulhafer Publishing and Media Consulting
Charlotte is a strong, independent ball buster of an attorney. Time is money and work is everything...at least that is how Charlotte feels. She's viewed by others as a no nonsense, no holds barred defense attorney that was raised in high society. But she has secrets, big secrets! She prefers to be alone and not have to depend on or confide in anyone, but Rokov, a local detective wants to change that.
The carnival has arrived in town, the one Grace, now calling herself Charlotte, grew up in and finally broke away at age sixteen. She has worked hard to leave her past behind her, but it's back with a vengeance. Now her step-dad, Grady, who runs the carnival, is knocking on her door to ask for her professional help to save Sooner, the only family Charlotte has left, the one person she thought had a chance to have a normal life. But Grady broke his promise and Sooner didn't have the life Charlotte had hoped she would.
To top it all off, there is a ritualistic killer on the loose that has his eye on her. She will have to fight for more than her reputation...her life is at stake.
Mary Burton has written a multi-layered, fast paced and high energy story. Before She Dies is well written and pulls you right into the story. You won't want to put the book down until you get to the last word...The plot is intricate and delivers raw emotions and fear that grabs hold and has you holding your breath waiting for the next turn of the page.
I would have liked to have had a little more interaction between Charlotte and Sooner and between Charlotte and Rokov, but there was enough to get you hooked. I recommend Before She Dies to fans of Karen Robards and Lisa Jackson.
August 9, 2025
I listened to this on audible and I think it is currently my second favorite audible to date (Flock being first 😜). It took me 3 days to finish, listening on and off while working, doing dishes and taking little man on a walk.
The whole story was told by one voice actress who needed to do like 10 voices or more, so props to her. It is a little different hearing a female do the male voices at first, but you get used it.
This book combined a slow burn romance with detective work and trying to figure out who a serial killer is of women they presume to be ‘witches’.. the killings started when a women who tells fortunes at a carnival is murdered and then women with similar talents continue to wind up dead over a period of 18 years.
The book is setup so that several people along the way look guilty so your mind is constantly guessing who the killer is and what the motive is. I enjoy stories being told this way so that I’m constantly kept intrigued and thinking. Just when you think you have it figured out, someone else does something sketch and you change your mind all over again.
There is a tiny hint of spice… but barely. There are some torture/assault scenes that go into a bit of detail, so check your triggers.
I will likely be trying other books (whether audible or physical copy, either or 😊) from this author again.
The whole story was told by one voice actress who needed to do like 10 voices or more, so props to her. It is a little different hearing a female do the male voices at first, but you get used it.
This book combined a slow burn romance with detective work and trying to figure out who a serial killer is of women they presume to be ‘witches’.. the killings started when a women who tells fortunes at a carnival is murdered and then women with similar talents continue to wind up dead over a period of 18 years.
The book is setup so that several people along the way look guilty so your mind is constantly guessing who the killer is and what the motive is. I enjoy stories being told this way so that I’m constantly kept intrigued and thinking. Just when you think you have it figured out, someone else does something sketch and you change your mind all over again.
There is a tiny hint of spice… but barely. There are some torture/assault scenes that go into a bit of detail, so check your triggers.
I will likely be trying other books (whether audible or physical copy, either or 😊) from this author again.
August 3, 2014
meh. I hurried to finish it since it was a soon-to-be-due library book. I should have known when I started it, and then put it down for ten days, that it wasn't my thing.
more and more, the plucky, pulled-herself-up-from-the-ground female protagonist just annoys me. She always has some wonderful guy hanging around, just begging to be given a small corner in her life, plus some crazy amazing professional job that she devotes herself to, while she hides away in her luxury loft with a view, drinking named wines and then getting up in the morning for a brisk five-mile run before going to her closet of tastefully expensive clothes.
grrrrr. I may just be jealous. but I will stick with annoyed.
the surprises were less surprising then eye-rolling. the bad guy became even more unbelievable when unveiled. Sorry to say, I did not enjoy this book.
more and more, the plucky, pulled-herself-up-from-the-ground female protagonist just annoys me. She always has some wonderful guy hanging around, just begging to be given a small corner in her life, plus some crazy amazing professional job that she devotes herself to, while she hides away in her luxury loft with a view, drinking named wines and then getting up in the morning for a brisk five-mile run before going to her closet of tastefully expensive clothes.
grrrrr. I may just be jealous. but I will stick with annoyed.
the surprises were less surprising then eye-rolling. the bad guy became even more unbelievable when unveiled. Sorry to say, I did not enjoy this book.
March 3, 2020
Story 4 stars Narration 4 stars. As usual with Burton’s work, I enjoined the listen and I absolutely was completely wrong about The Who Done It part. Always a plus since I do figure out mystery plots on a regular basis. The plot was intricate and the murders were pretty graphic. I thought it was well written.
I liked the carnival setting for a change of pace and the use of fortune tellers. A novella I read late last year by Burton called, Christmas Past, was in a way the prelude to this book which was another surprise for me and also a plus. I really liked the main characters and since I was already familiar with the heroine, I was extra glad to get her story and her back story as well. It was not what I expected.
I would highly recommend this to adult romantic suspense readers. Good Listen!
I liked the carnival setting for a change of pace and the use of fortune tellers. A novella I read late last year by Burton called, Christmas Past, was in a way the prelude to this book which was another surprise for me and also a plus. I really liked the main characters and since I was already familiar with the heroine, I was extra glad to get her story and her back story as well. It was not what I expected.
I would highly recommend this to adult romantic suspense readers. Good Listen!
March 7, 2016
The twist at the end is good and not given many hints to give it away. However, I'm not sure I'll go looking for any more by the same author.
The continuity and editing on this book were terrible. One character is wearing two entirely different sets of clothing in two consecutive paragraphs. One character stood up four times in one paragraph. Names changed. It was so bad a previous reader had underlined many of the discrepancies in this library book. Sadly, this was really distracting from the story which has a good premise.
The continuity and editing on this book were terrible. One character is wearing two entirely different sets of clothing in two consecutive paragraphs. One character stood up four times in one paragraph. Names changed. It was so bad a previous reader had underlined many of the discrepancies in this library book. Sadly, this was really distracting from the story which has a good premise.
October 16, 2018
3.5 This was good. The mystery wasn't bad. I did figure it out about half way through. If you are looking for romance this book was low on it. There wasn't enough page time between the H and h. I felt like this was more of a murder mystery with a small dash of romance if you want to call it that.
Good read but I was hoping for more in the romance department. But I am enjoying this author. Will be reading more from her.
Good read but I was hoping for more in the romance department. But I am enjoying this author. Will be reading more from her.
April 1, 2018
It may be odd, but the reason I won’t read another of this author’s books is that she has a super annoying habit of not using normal contractions. It makes the conversations incredibly fake and awkward.
February 20, 2018
Really enjoyed this story, this won't be my last book by Mary Burton.
October 17, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is my personal 5 star rating system because I’m too lazy to write a review for every book.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
February 26, 2017
BEFORE SHE DIES
Fast-paced thriller- carnivals, witches, and suspense. Charlotte can't hide from her past any longer when the carnival comes to town, Daniel knows that somehow her past is connected to the murders he is trying to solve. Z Their friends with benefits is not working for him, as he tries to solve the case he is also working to take their relationship to a new level. Exciting read.
Fast-paced thriller- carnivals, witches, and suspense. Charlotte can't hide from her past any longer when the carnival comes to town, Daniel knows that somehow her past is connected to the murders he is trying to solve. Z Their friends with benefits is not working for him, as he tries to solve the case he is also working to take their relationship to a new level. Exciting read.
October 31, 2025
I played book roulette and picked this gem. I didn't realise it was part of a series, but I was still able to follow the storyline.
I quote enjoyed this book, and while it took me a little longer to finish than expected, it was an easy read. I also thought I had figured out what was going to happen halfway through, and was pleasantly surprised when I was wrong!
I quote enjoyed this book, and while it took me a little longer to finish than expected, it was an easy read. I also thought I had figured out what was going to happen halfway through, and was pleasantly surprised when I was wrong!
March 30, 2025
Not my kind of book.
June 14, 2025
This is the first book I’ve read from this author and it was a top-notch serial killer book for me!
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