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The Woman Before
From an exciting debut author comes an addictive psychological thriller about a house of secrets…
A perfect home
When Fern and Paul move into the large, old house on Crenellation Lane, with beautiful high ceilings and a luscious garden, they think they’ve found their dream home. After the devastating loss of Fern’s twin sister, it will be a fresh start and somewhere to raise their first baby.
A destructive obsession
But as soon as they arrive, Fern starts having terrifying nightmares about the woman who lived there before. When the woman showed Fern around, they bonded over their pregnancies. Now, Fern can’t let her go. Paul fears his wife has relapsed, obsessing in the same way she did after her twin’s death.
A fatal secret
Fern questions the neighbours about the previous owner, but nobody wants to talk. It’s like the woman never even existed. Refusing to give up, Fern uncovers a shocking secret and now suddenly her whole family is in danger…
From an exciting debut author, this is a gripping psychological thriller about a house of secrets, perfect for fans of Louise Candlish and Claire Douglas.
A perfect home
When Fern and Paul move into the large, old house on Crenellation Lane, with beautiful high ceilings and a luscious garden, they think they’ve found their dream home. After the devastating loss of Fern’s twin sister, it will be a fresh start and somewhere to raise their first baby.
A destructive obsession
But as soon as they arrive, Fern starts having terrifying nightmares about the woman who lived there before. When the woman showed Fern around, they bonded over their pregnancies. Now, Fern can’t let her go. Paul fears his wife has relapsed, obsessing in the same way she did after her twin’s death.
A fatal secret
Fern questions the neighbours about the previous owner, but nobody wants to talk. It’s like the woman never even existed. Refusing to give up, Fern uncovers a shocking secret and now suddenly her whole family is in danger…
From an exciting debut author, this is a gripping psychological thriller about a house of secrets, perfect for fans of Louise Candlish and Claire Douglas.
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2022
79 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Moore
2 books11 followersJennifer Moore is a novelist, freelance writer and children's author (writing as Jenny Moore) from Devon. Her short fiction has been widely published on both sides of the Atlantic and she was the first ever UK writer to win the Commonwealth Short Story Competition.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
June 20, 2022
Thank you HQ and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are always honest.
Writing: 4/5 | Plot: am I on acid/5 | Ending: COME BACK AND FINISH THIS RIGHT NOW/5
THE PLOT
Fern is pregnitos and grieving the loss of her twin sister, Linny, so obvi it's the perfect time to move into a creepy and potentially haunted old house. Who is the mysterious lady that showed Fern around that no one seems to want to discuss? Is Linny really dead? Wagwan????
THIS BOOK IS LIKE... (trying out something new thanks to encouragement from my friendo. what do you think?)
... if you were knitting the sickest scarf known to all mankind and you were doing some kind of intricate pattern that would only reveal itself once finished. And then just as the pattern is coming together with 20% left to go, you get up and announce DONE with the needles and yarn and stuff all hanging off it.
MY OPINION
Ok if you can get past the godawful format of this ARC (I reached out for a corrected version and never heard back), the writing is actually solid. Moore sprinkles in dark humor with thoughtful prose. The brazy ass dreams Fern had were SPOOKY AF. I think Moore would be better off writing a straight up horror, because this was in no way a thriller. ALSO I WOULD'VE APPRECIATED A HEADS UP ON DA SUPERNATURAL STUFF. SO HERE IS THE HEADS UP FOR FUTURE READERS WHO DON'T LIKE SUPERNATURAL.
Anyways. As I said above, I thought this book was going to finish with a bang. I was excited to see who Marte was, if Linny was really alive, what tf happened to Gemma, etc... but instead Moore said SIKE and just yeeted her unfinished scarf out the window—needles and all. There were soooo many unanswered questions. Why were the Rochesters so scared of Marte? Why didn't Fern just reach out to Gemma and say DID YOU SEE MARTE OR NAH?? Why did April act so cold to Fern and then without explanation was her bestie again? WTF WAS THAT ENDING???? SOMEONE ANSWER MEEEE!!
PROS AND CONS
Pros: solid writing—esp of the spooky ass dreams, funny in parts
Cons: too many unanswered questions, no warning about the supernatural elements, digital arc format was whack af and ruined the flow of the story
Writing: 4/5 | Plot: am I on acid/5 | Ending: COME BACK AND FINISH THIS RIGHT NOW/5
THE PLOT
Fern is pregnitos and grieving the loss of her twin sister, Linny, so obvi it's the perfect time to move into a creepy and potentially haunted old house. Who is the mysterious lady that showed Fern around that no one seems to want to discuss? Is Linny really dead? Wagwan????
THIS BOOK IS LIKE... (trying out something new thanks to encouragement from my friendo. what do you think?)
... if you were knitting the sickest scarf known to all mankind and you were doing some kind of intricate pattern that would only reveal itself once finished. And then just as the pattern is coming together with 20% left to go, you get up and announce DONE with the needles and yarn and stuff all hanging off it.
MY OPINION
Ok if you can get past the godawful format of this ARC (I reached out for a corrected version and never heard back), the writing is actually solid. Moore sprinkles in dark humor with thoughtful prose. The brazy ass dreams Fern had were SPOOKY AF. I think Moore would be better off writing a straight up horror, because this was in no way a thriller. ALSO I WOULD'VE APPRECIATED A HEADS UP ON DA SUPERNATURAL STUFF. SO HERE IS THE HEADS UP FOR FUTURE READERS WHO DON'T LIKE SUPERNATURAL.
Anyways. As I said above, I thought this book was going to finish with a bang. I was excited to see who Marte was, if Linny was really alive, what tf happened to Gemma, etc... but instead Moore said SIKE and just yeeted her unfinished scarf out the window—needles and all. There were soooo many unanswered questions. Why were the Rochesters so scared of Marte? Why didn't Fern just reach out to Gemma and say DID YOU SEE MARTE OR NAH?? Why did April act so cold to Fern and then without explanation was her bestie again? WTF WAS THAT ENDING???? SOMEONE ANSWER MEEEE!!
PROS AND CONS
Pros: solid writing—esp of the spooky ass dreams, funny in parts
Cons: too many unanswered questions, no warning about the supernatural elements, digital arc format was whack af and ruined the flow of the story
July 13, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up
When Fern and Paul move into the large old house on Crenellation Lane, with beautiful high ceilings and a luscious garden, they think they've found their dream home. After the devastating loss of Fern's twin sister, it will be a fresh start and somewhere to raise their first baby. But as soon as they arrive, Fern starts having terrifying nightmares about the woman who had lived there before. When the woman showed Fern around, they bonded over their pregnancies. Now Fern can't let her go. Paul fears his wife has relapsed, obsessing in the same way she did after her twin's death.
This is quite a good debut novel but the pace is on the slow side, but it still held my attention throughout. There's a lot of paranormal creepiness throughout the book. Fern is a conflicted character. Her main support id from her mother-in-law, Tina. The characters are well drawn and they all have secrets. You can't help but feel a little sorry for Fern and all that's she's been through. I took half a star off as I felt the story ended a bit abruptly.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQ and the author #JenniferMoore for my ARC of #TheWomanBefore in exchange for an honest review.
When Fern and Paul move into the large old house on Crenellation Lane, with beautiful high ceilings and a luscious garden, they think they've found their dream home. After the devastating loss of Fern's twin sister, it will be a fresh start and somewhere to raise their first baby. But as soon as they arrive, Fern starts having terrifying nightmares about the woman who had lived there before. When the woman showed Fern around, they bonded over their pregnancies. Now Fern can't let her go. Paul fears his wife has relapsed, obsessing in the same way she did after her twin's death.
This is quite a good debut novel but the pace is on the slow side, but it still held my attention throughout. There's a lot of paranormal creepiness throughout the book. Fern is a conflicted character. Her main support id from her mother-in-law, Tina. The characters are well drawn and they all have secrets. You can't help but feel a little sorry for Fern and all that's she's been through. I took half a star off as I felt the story ended a bit abruptly.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQ and the author #JenniferMoore for my ARC of #TheWomanBefore in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2022
Once a twin, always a twin.
A twin’s death doesn’t erase them from one’s identity, rather, the severing of this unique bond means a loss of mutual dependence and an increased fear of being alone. Author Jennifer Moore explores the profound grief of a surviving twin and the lengths one will go to regain a dynamic sense of togetherness.
Piggybacking on this theme is Moore’s examination of the subsequent risk to a surviving twin’s mental health and the role of support during bereavement. Her protagonist is a struggling soul who desperately needs support and is unfortunately not receiving it from those she should be able to rely on the most. This leads the surviving twin to establish necessary and creative ways to garnish support. This foray segways into the paranormal or supernatural and gives the narrative spooky vibes.
While I did enjoy the story, I felt that it would have had better continuity had the nightmares been integrated better into the story. I don’t have a solution, but I did notice that I lost interest and skimmed, even put the book down, several times when they appeared. I also struggled with the quirky formatting of my arc and the undeveloped plot threads which left me begging for answers.
Regardless of my personal preferences, this author has potential in this genre and I look forward to seeing where it takes her. This book kept me guessing and tied up with a satisfying ending. The author writes amazing children’s books and this is her first adult novel.
I was gifted this advance copy by Jennifer Moore, HQ Digital, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
A twin’s death doesn’t erase them from one’s identity, rather, the severing of this unique bond means a loss of mutual dependence and an increased fear of being alone. Author Jennifer Moore explores the profound grief of a surviving twin and the lengths one will go to regain a dynamic sense of togetherness.
Piggybacking on this theme is Moore’s examination of the subsequent risk to a surviving twin’s mental health and the role of support during bereavement. Her protagonist is a struggling soul who desperately needs support and is unfortunately not receiving it from those she should be able to rely on the most. This leads the surviving twin to establish necessary and creative ways to garnish support. This foray segways into the paranormal or supernatural and gives the narrative spooky vibes.
While I did enjoy the story, I felt that it would have had better continuity had the nightmares been integrated better into the story. I don’t have a solution, but I did notice that I lost interest and skimmed, even put the book down, several times when they appeared. I also struggled with the quirky formatting of my arc and the undeveloped plot threads which left me begging for answers.
Regardless of my personal preferences, this author has potential in this genre and I look forward to seeing where it takes her. This book kept me guessing and tied up with a satisfying ending. The author writes amazing children’s books and this is her first adult novel.
I was gifted this advance copy by Jennifer Moore, HQ Digital, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
October 12, 2022
3.5 stars
July 4, 2022
This was a fun read with a haunted house type vibe. It centers on Fern, who moves into a new (to her) house with her husband after the death of her twin sister. Fern is pregnant and not coping well with the loss of her sister, and they determine that a fresh start will be good for her; however, almost as soon as they get there weird things start happening that has Fern questioning her sanity.
This was one of their creepy stories where you can’t tell if it’s a ghost story or if there is a reasonable explanation for the things that are happening- this is a style I enjoy. The twists and turns were good and I kept changing my mind about what I thought was really going on. Fern both frustrated and impressed me at various parts of the story, but it was her mother-in-law Tina who really stole the show and was my favorite character.
Overall, I enjoyed this one and felt that there were legitimate surprises throughout. I’d recommend this to those who like mysteries. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was one of their creepy stories where you can’t tell if it’s a ghost story or if there is a reasonable explanation for the things that are happening- this is a style I enjoy. The twists and turns were good and I kept changing my mind about what I thought was really going on. Fern both frustrated and impressed me at various parts of the story, but it was her mother-in-law Tina who really stole the show and was my favorite character.
Overall, I enjoyed this one and felt that there were legitimate surprises throughout. I’d recommend this to those who like mysteries. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 1, 2023
Fern and Paul move into the large old house on Cremellation Lane, with its high ceilings and luscious garden they, think they have found the perfect home.
Fern lost her twin sister so this will be a fresh start for the couple and somewhere to raise their first baby. but straight away Fern starts having terrifying nightmares about the woman who had lived there before. Paul fears his wife has relapsed, obsessing in the same way she did after her twins death.
A compelling and twisty read.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Fern lost her twin sister so this will be a fresh start for the couple and somewhere to raise their first baby. but straight away Fern starts having terrifying nightmares about the woman who had lived there before. Paul fears his wife has relapsed, obsessing in the same way she did after her twins death.
A compelling and twisty read.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
abandoned
August 23, 2022DNF @16% when I got to the line "what if she couldn't be trusted with her own baby?"
Depression and psychosis in pregnancy is too common to be used at as a plot device.
The woman in this story is pregnant, and grieving the loss of her twin sister. Her husband is dismissive and seems to think that "snap out of it" is a way to help his wife when she's having the most awful pregnancy nightmares and hallucination visits from her dead sister. On top of that, they're moving house. And he wonders why she isn't coping too well?
I don't care how this story goes.
Thanks to the publisher for the Netgalley ARC, sorry I couldn't be more positive.
Depression and psychosis in pregnancy is too common to be used at as a plot device.
The woman in this story is pregnant, and grieving the loss of her twin sister. Her husband is dismissive and seems to think that "snap out of it" is a way to help his wife when she's having the most awful pregnancy nightmares and hallucination visits from her dead sister. On top of that, they're moving house. And he wonders why she isn't coping too well?
I don't care how this story goes.
Thanks to the publisher for the Netgalley ARC, sorry I couldn't be more positive.
July 4, 2022
3.5 Stars (I've rounded up as I felt 3 stars would be unfair, given how much I enjoyed the book)
Thank you HQ and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is released on July 13th.
I was really intrigued by this book's synopsis, as I love psychological thrillers
I lost some of the characters, I think there were a few to many & not all needed as they were insignificant after April's party, or maybe they needed to be fleshed out more to make me remember them. I personally would have preferred the author pick out a handful of characters and work with those.
I didn't particularly like the protagonist, (I also don't think it is important too either), but I did get and feel for her grief and loss and the feeling of loneliness she felt, but maybe wasn't aware of really came across well, which helped me to understand her defiance and quest to get answers. I preferred the mother-in-law character, so I was glad she was there for balance and as a duo I thought they really worked well together. The husband felt like a redundant character, but was needed at the beginning to emphasis Fern's character.
The story felt quite predictable in parts. I did enjoy the premises, but I think the weaving of the dreams into the story could have worked a little better to build suspense, maybe not knowing if it was a dream or reality, would have helped the story more, along with linking the Eddie's book more into the narrative too, may have helped.
It's an easy read that kept me interested enough to finish the book to see what happened and the story had a decent ending, tying some of the loose ends up. I thought for a debut novel that this was an enjoyable read and look forward to reading more from the author Jennifer Moore
Thank you HQ and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is released on July 13th.
I was really intrigued by this book's synopsis, as I love psychological thrillers
I lost some of the characters, I think there were a few to many & not all needed as they were insignificant after April's party, or maybe they needed to be fleshed out more to make me remember them. I personally would have preferred the author pick out a handful of characters and work with those.
I didn't particularly like the protagonist, (I also don't think it is important too either), but I did get and feel for her grief and loss and the feeling of loneliness she felt, but maybe wasn't aware of really came across well, which helped me to understand her defiance and quest to get answers. I preferred the mother-in-law character, so I was glad she was there for balance and as a duo I thought they really worked well together. The husband felt like a redundant character, but was needed at the beginning to emphasis Fern's character.
The story felt quite predictable in parts. I did enjoy the premises, but I think the weaving of the dreams into the story could have worked a little better to build suspense, maybe not knowing if it was a dream or reality, would have helped the story more, along with linking the Eddie's book more into the narrative too, may have helped.
It's an easy read that kept me interested enough to finish the book to see what happened and the story had a decent ending, tying some of the loose ends up. I thought for a debut novel that this was an enjoyable read and look forward to reading more from the author Jennifer Moore
August 4, 2022
I wanted to like this book...I really did. But I'm not sure what it was about it that I didn't like. Maybe the fact I found it too wordy and too filled with description or scattered incessant monologuing by Fern. I'm a dialogue person. There's nothing wrong with monologuing...but it needs to be engaging and I wasn't quite sure if this was. It began OK and then I got lost. I understand that Fern's loss of her twin Linny was devastating and I appreciate that but I found it a tad depressing more than thrilling. I think the fact it was exploring the grief more than being an actual thriller, it failed to hold my attention and my mind kept wandering that before long I'd read half a dozen pages and no idea what had happened.
I do so love an atmospheric haunted house thriller but it was so shrouded in Fern's grief more than anything else that I found it difficult to see past that. Unfortunately I didn't get to finish it to find out if it got any better or got worse. I have no idea if she had a boy or a girl, who the mysterious Marte was, the truth about Linny's death or even how it ended. I would have liked to know but really...I could't get past all of the things I didn't like about this book to continue.
A pity, really, as the premise was intriguing. However, one is not going to like every book we read despite the fact that so many actually enjoyed this one. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I need to revisit this one again later when I'm in a different mindset.
I would like to thank #JenniferMoore, #NetGalley and #HQDigital for an ARC of #TheWomanBefore in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
I do so love an atmospheric haunted house thriller but it was so shrouded in Fern's grief more than anything else that I found it difficult to see past that. Unfortunately I didn't get to finish it to find out if it got any better or got worse. I have no idea if she had a boy or a girl, who the mysterious Marte was, the truth about Linny's death or even how it ended. I would have liked to know but really...I could't get past all of the things I didn't like about this book to continue.
A pity, really, as the premise was intriguing. However, one is not going to like every book we read despite the fact that so many actually enjoyed this one. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I need to revisit this one again later when I'm in a different mindset.
I would like to thank #JenniferMoore, #NetGalley and #HQDigital for an ARC of #TheWomanBefore in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
July 25, 2022
Fern moves into her new house, a large, old dwelling on Crenellation Lane, a tree-lined cul-de-sac, with her husband, Paul after the death of her twin sister, Linny. Paul and Fern are awaiting their first child, and Fern is five months pregnant. But it's not long before Fern, who is suffering from mental health issues but is seeking help from Dr Earnshaw, is having terrible nightmares.
This was a compelling and intriguing tale with twists and psychological and supernatural elements. I had frequent changes of mind as I fought to work out exactly what was going on. The characterisation was good, especially in the case of Tina, Fern's mother-in-law who was a godsend. This book kept me guessing and it all tied up with a satisfying ending. A great creepy début.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from HQ Digital via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
This was a compelling and intriguing tale with twists and psychological and supernatural elements. I had frequent changes of mind as I fought to work out exactly what was going on. The characterisation was good, especially in the case of Tina, Fern's mother-in-law who was a godsend. This book kept me guessing and it all tied up with a satisfying ending. A great creepy début.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from HQ Digital via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
July 3, 2022
✨I could not put this down! It had me on the edge of my seat guessing what the hell was happening the whole time.
✨The writing style for me was so creepy and I was honestly scared for most of it as I sat on my own with the house getting darker! It felt so real and every creek I heard I thought I had my own Marte coming for me!
✨My favourite character was Tina for sure! She sounds like the BEST mother in law!
✨The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because I did guess some of the outcome but I couldn’t be 100% sure the whole time.
✨Thank you to @netgalley and @hqstories for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
✨The writing style for me was so creepy and I was honestly scared for most of it as I sat on my own with the house getting darker! It felt so real and every creek I heard I thought I had my own Marte coming for me!
✨My favourite character was Tina for sure! She sounds like the BEST mother in law!
✨The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because I did guess some of the outcome but I couldn’t be 100% sure the whole time.
✨Thank you to @netgalley and @hqstories for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and HQ for the copy of The Woman Before. This book had a great premise, but it wasn't for me. The story started out great, but then started to get muddled and confusing. I liked the spookiness of it, but it was very predictable to me. I couldn’t connect with the characters. I got tired of Fern always going on about her sister, and Paul was not a good husband. This would be a great beach read if you don’t delve too deep into the characters or the story!
July 11, 2022
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.
Overall I'd give 3.5 stars, it's a well paced, fairly quick read. It's just that there's questions bought up throughout the book that seem to get forgotten about and are left unanswered by the end.
Overall I'd give 3.5 stars, it's a well paced, fairly quick read. It's just that there's questions bought up throughout the book that seem to get forgotten about and are left unanswered by the end.
July 14, 2022
Wow ! What a read. I really enjoyed this twisty novel. It's a spooky tale of fern seeing a woman named Marte in her brand new house. Is she really there? What is she trying to tell her? You'll be turning the pages quickly trying to find out what is going on.
I really enjoyed the tie in at the end with Ferns deceased sister and the addition of her mother in law Tina. It had me laughing out loud at times.
This is a great change from the thrillers I normally read. Thank you to netgalley and Harper collins for this great read!
I really enjoyed the tie in at the end with Ferns deceased sister and the addition of her mother in law Tina. It had me laughing out loud at times.
This is a great change from the thrillers I normally read. Thank you to netgalley and Harper collins for this great read!
August 25, 2025
Fern is obsessed with Marte. She is the woman who showed her around her new house when Fern returned for a final viewing. Except, no one knows who Marte is and Fern is convinced she is terrorising Fern after she and her husband have moved in.
Not only that, Fern still struggles with the grief of losing her twin sister. She is convinced she still sees flashes of Linny and, throughout the novel, chats with her deceased twin. Fern clearly needs grief counselling and I was irritated by how much she was humoured by her husband and how far “pregnancy hormones” were used as an excuse.
For me, the book moved incredibly slowly and I was frustrated by Fern clinging on to her sister’s memory. I wanted the plot to be more ghostly as there is a suggestion that Fern is being haunted (by Marte? Her sister? Someone else?) yet, the intensity of these moments became diluted by Fern’s insipid actions and her obsession with her sister. It certainly didn’t create a spooky atmosphere and made the read rather tedious in places.
I think the mystery of Marte became overshadowed by Fern’s grief and how this impacts her marriage. Moving to a new area, she feels that the community is hiding secrets and this seems to drive her irrational behaviour even more. The neighbours did not stand out very much and I grew frustrated by how Fern over analyses nearly every single event.
The scenes with Fern’s father were especially difficult to read. In a care home and suffering with dementia, I think the writer (sadly) captures the true sense of the disease. It was sad to see how Fern’s father was stuck in a loop and would quickly move from lucidity to confusion, repeating things he had said mere moments ago. Personally, this made the book even less appealing and felt too close to reality.
I couldn’t decide if this book was supposed to be a thriller or a spooky story. Neither feeling came across particularly strongly and, on reflection, I think this was largely due to my dislike of the protagonist. I finished the story because I was keen to find out the answers to what Fern had experienced, but felt the conclusion was too convenient and lacking in depth. I would have preferred a proper haunting story, rather than a community mystery.
With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Not only that, Fern still struggles with the grief of losing her twin sister. She is convinced she still sees flashes of Linny and, throughout the novel, chats with her deceased twin. Fern clearly needs grief counselling and I was irritated by how much she was humoured by her husband and how far “pregnancy hormones” were used as an excuse.
For me, the book moved incredibly slowly and I was frustrated by Fern clinging on to her sister’s memory. I wanted the plot to be more ghostly as there is a suggestion that Fern is being haunted (by Marte? Her sister? Someone else?) yet, the intensity of these moments became diluted by Fern’s insipid actions and her obsession with her sister. It certainly didn’t create a spooky atmosphere and made the read rather tedious in places.
I think the mystery of Marte became overshadowed by Fern’s grief and how this impacts her marriage. Moving to a new area, she feels that the community is hiding secrets and this seems to drive her irrational behaviour even more. The neighbours did not stand out very much and I grew frustrated by how Fern over analyses nearly every single event.
The scenes with Fern’s father were especially difficult to read. In a care home and suffering with dementia, I think the writer (sadly) captures the true sense of the disease. It was sad to see how Fern’s father was stuck in a loop and would quickly move from lucidity to confusion, repeating things he had said mere moments ago. Personally, this made the book even less appealing and felt too close to reality.
I couldn’t decide if this book was supposed to be a thriller or a spooky story. Neither feeling came across particularly strongly and, on reflection, I think this was largely due to my dislike of the protagonist. I finished the story because I was keen to find out the answers to what Fern had experienced, but felt the conclusion was too convenient and lacking in depth. I would have preferred a proper haunting story, rather than a community mystery.
With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2022
Fern has lost her twin sister in a tragic accident. She is also pregnant and moving house. Her level of stress is exceedingly high and made more so by her conviction she is seeing her dead sister. When she goes to a second viewing of the house she is shown round by a woman called Marte who claims to be its owner. When she discovers this isn't the case, she becomes consumed with discovering who Marte really is and why she was in the house. Fern's obsession grows when she and her husband move into the house and strange and unsettling events occur.
This is a clever psychological thriller laced with elements of the supernatural. Fern is a conflicted and confused character who finds her main support in her mother in law rather than her husband. The supporting characters, in the form of her neighbours, are well drawn and all harbour their own secrets. The elements of suspicion and menace thread nicely through the plot. The pace of the action is just right. This novel develops into a real page turner. I recommend it as a quick, addictive read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Stories for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a clever psychological thriller laced with elements of the supernatural. Fern is a conflicted and confused character who finds her main support in her mother in law rather than her husband. The supporting characters, in the form of her neighbours, are well drawn and all harbour their own secrets. The elements of suspicion and menace thread nicely through the plot. The pace of the action is just right. This novel develops into a real page turner. I recommend it as a quick, addictive read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Stories for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2022
Fern is grieving the loss of her twin sister while being pregnant, she knows her baby is a girl because she just had to know but it's still a secret to her husband Paul. They decide to move to get a fresh start, losing her sister has been extremely hard on Fern, Paul, and their marriage and they both feel like if they move they can find a way to move on. Things are strange for Fern, sometimes she still sees her sister and now since the move to the new house she is seeing more strange things, like a heart in the fog of the mirror that Paul says he didn’t draw, and then there’s the mysterious woman, Marte who showed her around the house but that no one seems to know or know anything about. Where did this Marte woman go? Was Fern just imagining her and she’s not real? Something doesn’t feel right and Fern’s going to get to the bottom of it.
I’m glad Fern had a mother in law like Tina. At first, Fern doesn’t want to have Tina around so much, her mother in law can be quite a lot to handle but in the end, she’s an absolute blessing.
Then there’s Paul. When things get rough and too hard for him to handle or understand, he just dips out. Completely leaves his pregnant wife with someone she’s not entirely comfortable with (at the time her and Tina weren’t as close as they become in the end of the book) and just goes and stays with a friend, Simon, leaving his wife in a new house with things going on that scare her, all because he can’t or won’t deal with the fact that his wife might be seeing ghosts. I wish he would have had an open mind or at least toughed it out because I don’t think it was right for him to run away from his pregnant wife like that. He’s supposed to be there for his wife, especially when she’s pregnant, she got hurt and he was wallowing away in his own self pity because of his own actions and how horribly he handles terrible situations. I’m mad at Paul for Fern, she took him back so easily. I get it, he’s the father of her brand new baby girl, but still, I would have made him work pretty darn hard to get back in my good graces. I think he was forgiven way too easily. Simon’s place was perfectly fine with him for a while, that’s where he’d still be if I were Fern because I feel like Paul not being there for her made her situation a lot worse.
I loved seeing Marte get the peace she so rightfully deserved and I just wish she would have got away from that terrible person before it was too late. She seemed so nice, so excited to be a new mother.
I liked the paranormal aspect of this book, it’s been a while since I’ve read a ghost story and this one was fantastic. I absorbed this book, wanting to help poor Fern get to the bottom of the mystery and get her the happy ending she needed. Not everyone on Crenellation Lane is nice but there are some pretty fantastic, if not misunderstood people there that I wouldn’t mind having as neighbors.
I’m glad Fern had a mother in law like Tina. At first, Fern doesn’t want to have Tina around so much, her mother in law can be quite a lot to handle but in the end, she’s an absolute blessing.
Then there’s Paul. When things get rough and too hard for him to handle or understand, he just dips out. Completely leaves his pregnant wife with someone she’s not entirely comfortable with (at the time her and Tina weren’t as close as they become in the end of the book) and just goes and stays with a friend, Simon, leaving his wife in a new house with things going on that scare her, all because he can’t or won’t deal with the fact that his wife might be seeing ghosts. I wish he would have had an open mind or at least toughed it out because I don’t think it was right for him to run away from his pregnant wife like that. He’s supposed to be there for his wife, especially when she’s pregnant, she got hurt and he was wallowing away in his own self pity because of his own actions and how horribly he handles terrible situations. I’m mad at Paul for Fern, she took him back so easily. I get it, he’s the father of her brand new baby girl, but still, I would have made him work pretty darn hard to get back in my good graces. I think he was forgiven way too easily. Simon’s place was perfectly fine with him for a while, that’s where he’d still be if I were Fern because I feel like Paul not being there for her made her situation a lot worse.
I loved seeing Marte get the peace she so rightfully deserved and I just wish she would have got away from that terrible person before it was too late. She seemed so nice, so excited to be a new mother.
I liked the paranormal aspect of this book, it’s been a while since I’ve read a ghost story and this one was fantastic. I absorbed this book, wanting to help poor Fern get to the bottom of the mystery and get her the happy ending she needed. Not everyone on Crenellation Lane is nice but there are some pretty fantastic, if not misunderstood people there that I wouldn’t mind having as neighbors.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2022
The Woman Before
By Jennifer Moore
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The beginning didn't quite capture me...truthfully, I was quite confused for a bit, but as soon as I understood who all of the characters were, it was like a snow ball effect for me. After that, I couldn't get enough and needed all of the answers. The plot isn't entirely the most riveting or unique per se, but it was still a satisfying mystery/thriller nonetheless. I will admit that it was a challenge for me to rate this book because I thoroughly enjoyed myself for the majority of the read and I found myself unable to put the book down, turning page after page way too late in the night. However, there were several parts that I felt really needed cleaning up. Some of the repetition was tedious rather than enhancing the story and there were a few areas that were quite muddy (without giving any spoilers away...what happened with the Rochesters and all of the previous owners? And ugh the husband...). Even still, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more from this author.
Fern and Paul, who are expecting their first baby, have just moved into a new home on Crenellation Lane for a fresh new start. But all is not well. Having recently lost her twin sister in an accident, Fern is deep in grief. Lines between what's real and what's not are blurry and she keeps looking for her sister everywhere. And there's something off about this new house - Fern is seeing and experiencing things that other people aren't. Has she lost her mind? Is it the pregnancy hormones? Fern tries to talk to her new neighbors about the previous owners, but it seems that everyone's reluctant to talk or acting like they have no idea what she's referring to. Determined to prove that she's not lost her marbles, Fern begins to uncover secrets that people are dead set on keeping buried, and she soon finds herself in danger.
Thank you #netgalley and HQ for an ARC of The Woman Before which releases tomorrow, July 13, 2022!
By Jennifer Moore
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The beginning didn't quite capture me...truthfully, I was quite confused for a bit, but as soon as I understood who all of the characters were, it was like a snow ball effect for me. After that, I couldn't get enough and needed all of the answers. The plot isn't entirely the most riveting or unique per se, but it was still a satisfying mystery/thriller nonetheless. I will admit that it was a challenge for me to rate this book because I thoroughly enjoyed myself for the majority of the read and I found myself unable to put the book down, turning page after page way too late in the night. However, there were several parts that I felt really needed cleaning up. Some of the repetition was tedious rather than enhancing the story and there were a few areas that were quite muddy (without giving any spoilers away...what happened with the Rochesters and all of the previous owners? And ugh the husband...). Even still, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more from this author.
Fern and Paul, who are expecting their first baby, have just moved into a new home on Crenellation Lane for a fresh new start. But all is not well. Having recently lost her twin sister in an accident, Fern is deep in grief. Lines between what's real and what's not are blurry and she keeps looking for her sister everywhere. And there's something off about this new house - Fern is seeing and experiencing things that other people aren't. Has she lost her mind? Is it the pregnancy hormones? Fern tries to talk to her new neighbors about the previous owners, but it seems that everyone's reluctant to talk or acting like they have no idea what she's referring to. Determined to prove that she's not lost her marbles, Fern begins to uncover secrets that people are dead set on keeping buried, and she soon finds herself in danger.
Thank you #netgalley and HQ for an ARC of The Woman Before which releases tomorrow, July 13, 2022!
July 10, 2022
ARC - Oblivion Publishing via @netgalley for an honest review – thank u!
4🌟/5
I can’t believe this is a debut novel! Flew through it in one night!
Pregnant Fern and her husband, Paul, are buying a new house. Fern isn’t doing so well; only a few months ago she lost her twin sister, Linny, in a tragic car accident, and is seeing her spirit everywhere.
On top of that, on Fern’s first viewing of the house, she is met by the also pregnant owner of the house, who looks almost identical to her and her sister – but isn’t Linny. Her name is Marte… and when a few days later the owner of the house is pointed out to Fern in the street, she looks nothing like Marte. Who’s Marte? What was she doing in the house?
The house owners leave for the US before Fern manages to speak to them and Fern’s repeated efforts to find out Marte’s identity come to nothing. Paul dismisses the mystery, saying it was probably a cleaner. But Fern starts having horrendous nightmares involving Marte and Fern’s unborn baby… And now someone’s sending Fern threatening messages.
I really enjoyed this one! The writing is good, it reads easily and smoothly, the suspense is kept up and there are several mysteries going on that’ll keep you turning the pages. Fern isn’t your stereotypical unreliable narrator & you root for her from the very beginning.
The nightmares are so well written – there may be a future in the horror genre for the author!
Unexpectedly for a mystery/thriller, there’s also character development. We see Fern and two other characters evolve as we go along. However, in case of one of the characters it seems unrealistic (too good to be true! But maybe it’s just my cynical old self) – and that’s the main reason I rated it 4 🌟 and not 5.
1 more observation: thriller covers in blue and yellow, with big lettering, are getting REALLY boring now. Can we have something more original, please?
4🌟/5
I can’t believe this is a debut novel! Flew through it in one night!
Pregnant Fern and her husband, Paul, are buying a new house. Fern isn’t doing so well; only a few months ago she lost her twin sister, Linny, in a tragic car accident, and is seeing her spirit everywhere.
On top of that, on Fern’s first viewing of the house, she is met by the also pregnant owner of the house, who looks almost identical to her and her sister – but isn’t Linny. Her name is Marte… and when a few days later the owner of the house is pointed out to Fern in the street, she looks nothing like Marte. Who’s Marte? What was she doing in the house?
The house owners leave for the US before Fern manages to speak to them and Fern’s repeated efforts to find out Marte’s identity come to nothing. Paul dismisses the mystery, saying it was probably a cleaner. But Fern starts having horrendous nightmares involving Marte and Fern’s unborn baby… And now someone’s sending Fern threatening messages.
I really enjoyed this one! The writing is good, it reads easily and smoothly, the suspense is kept up and there are several mysteries going on that’ll keep you turning the pages. Fern isn’t your stereotypical unreliable narrator & you root for her from the very beginning.
The nightmares are so well written – there may be a future in the horror genre for the author!
Unexpectedly for a mystery/thriller, there’s also character development. We see Fern and two other characters evolve as we go along. However, in case of one of the characters it seems unrealistic (too good to be true! But maybe it’s just my cynical old self) – and that’s the main reason I rated it 4 🌟 and not 5.
1 more observation: thriller covers in blue and yellow, with big lettering, are getting REALLY boring now. Can we have something more original, please?
July 14, 2022
Rating 3.5 stars.
This is Jennifer Moore's first novel and I enjoyed it. The blurb reads
"A perfect home
When Fern and Paul move into the large, old house on Crenellation Lane, with beautiful high ceilings and a luscious garden, they think they’ve found their dream home. After the devastating loss of Fern’s twin sister, it will be a fresh start and somewhere to raise their first baby.
A destructive obsession
But as soon as they arrive, Fern starts having terrifying nightmares about the woman who lived there before. When the woman showed Fern around, they bonded over their pregnancies. Now, Fern can’t let her go. Paul fears his wife has relapsed, obsessing in the same way she did after her twin’s death.
A fatal secret
Fern questions the neighbours about the previous owner, but nobody wants to talk. It’s like the woman never even existed. Refusing to give up, Fern uncovers a shocking secret and now suddenly her whole family is in danger…"
The blurb read like my ideal book and I enjoyed the writing style of Jennifer Moore. The story somewhat lacked some depth for me, but that is my personal opinion and the repetition of the loss of Ferns twin did seem to pop up a great deal.
Main characters Fern and Paul have decided to move, after the death of Fern's twin sister she needs a new and fresh start. Fern is pregnant and when they move into their new home, what should be the most amazing time of their lives are firstly dampened with the loss of her sister and then secondly Fern is having awful, vivid nightmares of the woman who lived in the house before them. Both women were pregnant and seemed to have a connection immediately.
Fern starts investigating the woman who lived in the house before but know one wants to engage with Fern about her.
Thanks to Jennifer Moore, NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
There is a few twists in this novel and it was a good read.
This is Jennifer Moore's first novel and I enjoyed it. The blurb reads
"A perfect home
When Fern and Paul move into the large, old house on Crenellation Lane, with beautiful high ceilings and a luscious garden, they think they’ve found their dream home. After the devastating loss of Fern’s twin sister, it will be a fresh start and somewhere to raise their first baby.
A destructive obsession
But as soon as they arrive, Fern starts having terrifying nightmares about the woman who lived there before. When the woman showed Fern around, they bonded over their pregnancies. Now, Fern can’t let her go. Paul fears his wife has relapsed, obsessing in the same way she did after her twin’s death.
A fatal secret
Fern questions the neighbours about the previous owner, but nobody wants to talk. It’s like the woman never even existed. Refusing to give up, Fern uncovers a shocking secret and now suddenly her whole family is in danger…"
The blurb read like my ideal book and I enjoyed the writing style of Jennifer Moore. The story somewhat lacked some depth for me, but that is my personal opinion and the repetition of the loss of Ferns twin did seem to pop up a great deal.
Main characters Fern and Paul have decided to move, after the death of Fern's twin sister she needs a new and fresh start. Fern is pregnant and when they move into their new home, what should be the most amazing time of their lives are firstly dampened with the loss of her sister and then secondly Fern is having awful, vivid nightmares of the woman who lived in the house before them. Both women were pregnant and seemed to have a connection immediately.
Fern starts investigating the woman who lived in the house before but know one wants to engage with Fern about her.
Thanks to Jennifer Moore, NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
There is a few twists in this novel and it was a good read.
August 13, 2022
Creepy but in a good way. Fern has lost her twin sister, Linny, in an accident and she is struggling to come to terms with her loss. She lives with her husband, Paul, in a flat and is pregnant. He is vey concerned that Fern is not doing very well and he decides that a change of house will be a good thing. Fern sees Linny everywhere she looks and finds it tough to realise that it is an illusion. Oh how wrong is he. They visit a house but Fern decides to go back for a second visit and Paul cannot make it. She meets the Estate Agent there. The Agent is asked to leave the premises to do another visit somewhere else but there is someone else in the house who offers to show Fern round and here is where the problems arise. They love the house and buy it. Fern has a bad feeling about the whole thing and decides to find out who the lady was who showed her round and this becomes a real problem. She keeps seeing Marta who showed her around the house in the house – but nobody knows who she is. Paul is very concerned about Fern’s mental state seeing her sister and now Marta in the house. He organises for his mom, Tina, to visit and stay with Fern for the foreseeable future. Fern is unhappy with this arrangement but Tina eventually is on Fern’s side and starts to help her find out what is going on in the area and the house. Tina realises that the problems are not all in Fern’s mind and sets about trying to help find out what is going on in the road. Fern is traumatized by the neighbourhood and things go from bad to worse over a period of time. Eventually things are settled and I really enjoyed how the book carried on and I did not realise until the end who was the “culprit” if that is the right word. As creepy stories go this was a really good one. I loved the characters although Paul could have had more of a backbone. I loved Tina as a mother in law she was ace.
July 23, 2022
The opening of the book is a bit slow to get going but the action ramps up in the final third and I was fully engaged with the characters by the end, even if I'd guess the ending.
Paul and Fern move into a new (to them) house on Crenellation Lane. It is supposed to be a new start for them after the death of Fern's sister a few months earlier and a better place to raise their baby than the flat where they live. But as soon as they move in Fern begins having visions and hears noises. Paul is less than sympathetic and moves his mother in to help out while Fern is going through a funny phase. Previously Fern had found Tina overbearing and controlling but as she tries to get to grip with the odd happenings in the house she finds Tina becomes an ally, especially when Paul takes off, saying he can't deal with Fern's hysterics.
Much of Fern's mental state is put down to pregnancy 'hormones' especially by her husband and other men in the book. However, the story deals in quite a lot of detail with her state of mind after losing an identical twin with whom she'd shared her life until the point of her sister's death. The loss allows the author to play on Fern's vulnerability and bring in hints of paranormal and supernatural activity. Whether you chose to believe this as a reader doesn't really matter — it serves to ramp up the pressure on Fern and make sure she is an emotional wreck by the time the finale is arrived at.
There are quite an array of characters in Crenellation Lane, but all distinctly drawn, several with their own problems. I did wonder quite why someone as attractive and vibrant as Fern's sister would have been attracted to one of them, and quite why Marte was attracted to another, but that is really my only beef with the story.
A very readable and impressive first novel. With thanks to HQ and Netgalley for an arc copy in return for an honest review.
Paul and Fern move into a new (to them) house on Crenellation Lane. It is supposed to be a new start for them after the death of Fern's sister a few months earlier and a better place to raise their baby than the flat where they live. But as soon as they move in Fern begins having visions and hears noises. Paul is less than sympathetic and moves his mother in to help out while Fern is going through a funny phase. Previously Fern had found Tina overbearing and controlling but as she tries to get to grip with the odd happenings in the house she finds Tina becomes an ally, especially when Paul takes off, saying he can't deal with Fern's hysterics.
Much of Fern's mental state is put down to pregnancy 'hormones' especially by her husband and other men in the book. However, the story deals in quite a lot of detail with her state of mind after losing an identical twin with whom she'd shared her life until the point of her sister's death. The loss allows the author to play on Fern's vulnerability and bring in hints of paranormal and supernatural activity. Whether you chose to believe this as a reader doesn't really matter — it serves to ramp up the pressure on Fern and make sure she is an emotional wreck by the time the finale is arrived at.
There are quite an array of characters in Crenellation Lane, but all distinctly drawn, several with their own problems. I did wonder quite why someone as attractive and vibrant as Fern's sister would have been attracted to one of them, and quite why Marte was attracted to another, but that is really my only beef with the story.
A very readable and impressive first novel. With thanks to HQ and Netgalley for an arc copy in return for an honest review.
June 27, 2022
𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆/𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿. 👻
𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (𝟯/𝟱)
𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟯,𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 💛 !
****
I would like to thank netgallery & HQ for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review ! 🤍
***
i honestly enjoyed reading this book so much, i started reading this morning and i could not put it down. the plot was unique and enjoyable, it grabs your attention as soon as you start reading, which is amazing. most of the characters were fully developed and you can actually relate and sympathize with them; the sadness fern felt, the frustration paul was having with fern, it all felt so natural. I also enjoyed the dynamic duo between fern and her mother-in-law, tina. you can see the relationship growth between the two and I really enjoyed that. tina is definitely my favorite character.
the reason i rated it a 3, instead of a 5 is because there were some parts in story that felt boring and some questions that were seemingly unanswered or was not explained. I think there was a lot going on in the book and too much characters, that while someone character you can see how developed they were, others kind of just faded away, like eddie and emily. paul was gone halfway through the book and kinda just reappeared at the end, other characters you just completely forgot about. it was also a lot going on with the mystery of marte along side the whole seeing her twin sister’s ghost.
the ending was okay, not the best of the best ending, it felt kind of rushed and flat towards the end. but overall, it is still an exciting read because you can see yourself wanting to find out more and more, it was definitely a page turner for sure!
you can find my book reviews on my bookstagram : @readswithyonce
𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (𝟯/𝟱)
𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟯,𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 💛 !
****
I would like to thank netgallery & HQ for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review ! 🤍
***
i honestly enjoyed reading this book so much, i started reading this morning and i could not put it down. the plot was unique and enjoyable, it grabs your attention as soon as you start reading, which is amazing. most of the characters were fully developed and you can actually relate and sympathize with them; the sadness fern felt, the frustration paul was having with fern, it all felt so natural. I also enjoyed the dynamic duo between fern and her mother-in-law, tina. you can see the relationship growth between the two and I really enjoyed that. tina is definitely my favorite character.
the reason i rated it a 3, instead of a 5 is because there were some parts in story that felt boring and some questions that were seemingly unanswered or was not explained. I think there was a lot going on in the book and too much characters, that while someone character you can see how developed they were, others kind of just faded away, like eddie and emily. paul was gone halfway through the book and kinda just reappeared at the end, other characters you just completely forgot about. it was also a lot going on with the mystery of marte along side the whole seeing her twin sister’s ghost.
the ending was okay, not the best of the best ending, it felt kind of rushed and flat towards the end. but overall, it is still an exciting read because you can see yourself wanting to find out more and more, it was definitely a page turner for sure!
you can find my book reviews on my bookstagram : @readswithyonce
July 3, 2022
Free courtesy of Netgalley
A new author for me to read, I found it was a book of two halves. The first half was very slow, and I was going to give up lots of times, but I thought if I hadn't got into it by 50% (kindle reader) I would stop but it did pick up as soon as 'the mother-in-law' arrived, and the rest of the book was amazing.
A pregnant young couple are buying a house out in the countryside, but all is not what it seems, this should be a happy time for them but Fern has recently lost her twin sister in a road accident, through her grief, she keeps seeing her sister everywhere and her husband his at his wits end with how to deal with it. He thinks this move will be a fresh start, but it's anything but.
When Fern is viewing the house, she meets the homeowner, Marte, who is also 5 months pregnant and she shows her around the house. Later Fern finds out that the homeowners are an elderly couple, so who is Marte?, and why was she in the house?
After Fern and her husband Paul move in, Fern starts questioning the neighbors to try and find out who Marte is, but they start to clam up. Paul thinks that Fern is having a breakdown and calls his mother to come and stay, to try and help. After another "episode" Paul leaves and Fern and her mother in law are left to deal with the strange events unfolding around them.
For a debut novel, the story is good, and I would recommend that people persevere if they find it a bit slow and repetitive to start with. It's. Mixture of a ghost story and a thriller.
A new author for me to read, I found it was a book of two halves. The first half was very slow, and I was going to give up lots of times, but I thought if I hadn't got into it by 50% (kindle reader) I would stop but it did pick up as soon as 'the mother-in-law' arrived, and the rest of the book was amazing.
A pregnant young couple are buying a house out in the countryside, but all is not what it seems, this should be a happy time for them but Fern has recently lost her twin sister in a road accident, through her grief, she keeps seeing her sister everywhere and her husband his at his wits end with how to deal with it. He thinks this move will be a fresh start, but it's anything but.
When Fern is viewing the house, she meets the homeowner, Marte, who is also 5 months pregnant and she shows her around the house. Later Fern finds out that the homeowners are an elderly couple, so who is Marte?, and why was she in the house?
After Fern and her husband Paul move in, Fern starts questioning the neighbors to try and find out who Marte is, but they start to clam up. Paul thinks that Fern is having a breakdown and calls his mother to come and stay, to try and help. After another "episode" Paul leaves and Fern and her mother in law are left to deal with the strange events unfolding around them.
For a debut novel, the story is good, and I would recommend that people persevere if they find it a bit slow and repetitive to start with. It's. Mixture of a ghost story and a thriller.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2022
The large, old house on Crenellation Lane is supposed to give Fern and Paul a new start. After Fern's twin Linny was killed, Fern keeps seeing her everywhere. Paul decides that maybe a change in scenery will remedy this irrational condition. But now Fern also sees another woman, pregnant Marte. And when Fern begins to ask her new neighbors about Marte, strange things start to happen like violent dreams, graffiti on the house, and unexplained indoor temperature fluctuations. Paul can't take the drama and chooses to abandon Fern, their unborn baby and his mother Tina. But the women of the house will solve the mystery and put Marte and her baby to rest.
I really enjoyed unraveling this mystery. In my mind, I had the ending all wrong!
And the novel made me laugh and cry. I connected emotionally with Fern and Tina in a surprising way.
Unfortunately, most of the men in this book are immature. But a few do manage to redeem themselves in the end.
Fern's internal dialogue is also confusing at times. The author chooses to include it with italic font, but I still found myself confused sometimes about if Fern actually said what she was thinking out loud.
If you like paranormal mysteries with strong female leads, this book is an interesting and entertaining read.
My favorite quote from Linny to her new niece:
"Never let anyone tell you you're not good enough. Never give up on your dream. Never do tequila slammers on an empty stomach. Never eat garlic bread on a first date. And never let your mum do karaoke in public. She' terrible, she really is."
I really enjoyed unraveling this mystery. In my mind, I had the ending all wrong!
And the novel made me laugh and cry. I connected emotionally with Fern and Tina in a surprising way.
Unfortunately, most of the men in this book are immature. But a few do manage to redeem themselves in the end.
Fern's internal dialogue is also confusing at times. The author chooses to include it with italic font, but I still found myself confused sometimes about if Fern actually said what she was thinking out loud.
If you like paranormal mysteries with strong female leads, this book is an interesting and entertaining read.
My favorite quote from Linny to her new niece:
"Never let anyone tell you you're not good enough. Never give up on your dream. Never do tequila slammers on an empty stomach. Never eat garlic bread on a first date. And never let your mum do karaoke in public. She' terrible, she really is."
July 3, 2022
Fern and her husband, Paul move into an old house soon after Fern’s identical twin sister passed away. The couple thought this might be a good opportunity for a fresh start and a change could help Fern start to move past the grief of losing her twin, Linny. When viewing the home for a second time, Fern meets and bonds with Marte (the presumed homeowner) over their pregnancies. After moving into the house, Fern learns that Marte was not the person she seemed to be. Racked with nightmares about Marte and Linny, Fern starts trying to unravel the mystery of Marte’s identity and the house’s past.
This was an interesting read. I really felt a lot of sympathy for Fern and everything that she was going through. She really had a lot of pressures piled on her! I also found myself getting a little disoriented on her behalf between the nightmares and the creepy happenings around the house. I think that’s a sign of good writing when you can cause the reader to feel what the character is feeling.
My favorite part of this book was the relationship progression between Fern and her mother-in-law, Tina. This relationship ended up warming my heart and I’m glad that Fern had someone that she could trust and rely on throughout the story.
Part mystery and part ghost story - The ending was a bit abrupt, but I actually liked how it was left and hope for all the best for the characters in the future.
Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an interesting read. I really felt a lot of sympathy for Fern and everything that she was going through. She really had a lot of pressures piled on her! I also found myself getting a little disoriented on her behalf between the nightmares and the creepy happenings around the house. I think that’s a sign of good writing when you can cause the reader to feel what the character is feeling.
My favorite part of this book was the relationship progression between Fern and her mother-in-law, Tina. This relationship ended up warming my heart and I’m glad that Fern had someone that she could trust and rely on throughout the story.
Part mystery and part ghost story - The ending was a bit abrupt, but I actually liked how it was left and hope for all the best for the characters in the future.
Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2022
The Woman Before is a domestic suspense novel with a horror atmosphere. Fern and Paul move into a new home after the death of ferns twin sister and they believe it will be a fresh start to raise their impending baby. However, fern begins to have dreams of the woman who lived in the house before they did. Everyone seems to attribute her impending sense of dread to the pregnancy and the grief over her sister, but Fern is determined to find out what the former owner is trying to tell her.
The atmosphere is probably the best part of this novel, as the ominous and supernatural elements aren’t something one finds in the generally more realistic domestic suspense genre. The writing moves along quickly and the characters are richly drawn and you do find yourself investing into Fern’s plight.
For some reason, though, the book didn’t hook me. I think it was more my issue than an issue with the plot or writing as I do see this becoming popular with many readers and those looking for a quick thriller to escape into over a vacation. Also, the formatting of the ARC is horrendous and did at times make it difficult to orient to the events of the plot or following the dialogue. I feel that if the formatting were a little better, My engagement in the plot may have increased.
Overall, middle of the road read for me but can definitely see many others enjoying this one.
ARC provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
The atmosphere is probably the best part of this novel, as the ominous and supernatural elements aren’t something one finds in the generally more realistic domestic suspense genre. The writing moves along quickly and the characters are richly drawn and you do find yourself investing into Fern’s plight.
For some reason, though, the book didn’t hook me. I think it was more my issue than an issue with the plot or writing as I do see this becoming popular with many readers and those looking for a quick thriller to escape into over a vacation. Also, the formatting of the ARC is horrendous and did at times make it difficult to orient to the events of the plot or following the dialogue. I feel that if the formatting were a little better, My engagement in the plot may have increased.
Overall, middle of the road read for me but can definitely see many others enjoying this one.
ARC provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
December 22, 2022
Fern is struggling to cope after the death of her twin sister, Linny. She’s convinced she sees her and dreams about her all the time. Fern is heavily pregnant, and her and her husband are thinking of moving to a bigger place for a fresh start. When Fern is viewing the house again, she’s shown around by a pregnant woman called Marte.
Fern and Paul move into the house but Fern isn’t comfortable there and hears things in the night and sees messages scrawled on mirrors. Fern tries to find out who Marte is but no one seems keen to tell her.
I didn’t warm to Fern’s character at all, she really annoyed me. She’s constantly mentioning her pregnancy (we know!) and doesn’t seem to have much else to her. It’s understandable she’s having a difficult time but I couldn’t get on board with her character at all. Paul is a waste of time and doesn’t bring much to the story. I didn’t like any of the characters much, apart from the mother-in-law, Tina.
The book had the potential to be quite spooky but I felt this was overshadowed by my dislike for Fern.
The story was an easy enough read and held my interest, until it became predictable. I worked out what had happened long before it was revealed and it made it a bit of a letdown, taking away any suspense.
Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. The annoying main character and predictable plot “twist” let it down for me.
Thanks to HQ Harper Collins and NetGalley for a copy to review.
Fern and Paul move into the house but Fern isn’t comfortable there and hears things in the night and sees messages scrawled on mirrors. Fern tries to find out who Marte is but no one seems keen to tell her.
I didn’t warm to Fern’s character at all, she really annoyed me. She’s constantly mentioning her pregnancy (we know!) and doesn’t seem to have much else to her. It’s understandable she’s having a difficult time but I couldn’t get on board with her character at all. Paul is a waste of time and doesn’t bring much to the story. I didn’t like any of the characters much, apart from the mother-in-law, Tina.
The book had the potential to be quite spooky but I felt this was overshadowed by my dislike for Fern.
The story was an easy enough read and held my interest, until it became predictable. I worked out what had happened long before it was revealed and it made it a bit of a letdown, taking away any suspense.
Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. The annoying main character and predictable plot “twist” let it down for me.
Thanks to HQ Harper Collins and NetGalley for a copy to review.
July 14, 2022
It has been 5 months since Fern Croft’s twin sister, Linny, died when her bike was hit by a bus. Fern is pregnant and the loss of her sister has been devastating for her. She feels like she sees Linny everywhere and her husband, Paul, is worried about her mental health.
They have decided to buy a larger house and she is revisiting one that she and Paul like. The realtor had to leave suddenly but a blonde woman, also pregnant, and named Marte, is there to show her around. But after they buy the house and move in, no one seems to know who Marte is. In addition, Fern is convinced that Linny is close as she sees her often and finds little reminders of her. Asking around, Fern can’t find out who Marte is. When Paul has had enough of her imaginings, he leaves for awhile and his mother, Tina, comes to stay with her.
Oh my. This book was so tedious and down-right boring. I did not like Fern at all. She’s a weak little person who acts as if she’s the only woman who has ever been pregnant. Tina is a life saver for Fern and for the entire story. She is strong and proactive. I think the author was trying for a Gothic and ghostly book but it fell flat for me. I am going to be very generous and give this book 3 stars.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
They have decided to buy a larger house and she is revisiting one that she and Paul like. The realtor had to leave suddenly but a blonde woman, also pregnant, and named Marte, is there to show her around. But after they buy the house and move in, no one seems to know who Marte is. In addition, Fern is convinced that Linny is close as she sees her often and finds little reminders of her. Asking around, Fern can’t find out who Marte is. When Paul has had enough of her imaginings, he leaves for awhile and his mother, Tina, comes to stay with her.
Oh my. This book was so tedious and down-right boring. I did not like Fern at all. She’s a weak little person who acts as if she’s the only woman who has ever been pregnant. Tina is a life saver for Fern and for the entire story. She is strong and proactive. I think the author was trying for a Gothic and ghostly book but it fell flat for me. I am going to be very generous and give this book 3 stars.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 18, 2022
A perfect home
When Fern and Paul move into the large, old house on Crenellation Lane, with beautiful high ceilings and a luscious garden, they think they’ve found their dream home. After the devastating loss of Fern’s twin sister, it will be a fresh start and somewhere to raise their first baby.
A destructive obsession
But as soon as they arrive, Fern starts having terrifying nightmares about the woman who lived there before. When the woman showed Fern around, they bonded over their pregnancies. Now, Fern can’t let her go. Does she have something to do with the strange things happening in the house? Paul fears his wife has relapsed, obsessing in the same way she did with her twin.
A fatal secret
Fern questions the neighbours about the previous owner, but nobody wants to talk. It’s like the woman never even existed. Refusing to give up, Fern uncovers a shocking secret and now suddenly her whole family is in danger…
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
When Fern and Paul move into the large, old house on Crenellation Lane, with beautiful high ceilings and a luscious garden, they think they’ve found their dream home. After the devastating loss of Fern’s twin sister, it will be a fresh start and somewhere to raise their first baby.
A destructive obsession
But as soon as they arrive, Fern starts having terrifying nightmares about the woman who lived there before. When the woman showed Fern around, they bonded over their pregnancies. Now, Fern can’t let her go. Does she have something to do with the strange things happening in the house? Paul fears his wife has relapsed, obsessing in the same way she did with her twin.
A fatal secret
Fern questions the neighbours about the previous owner, but nobody wants to talk. It’s like the woman never even existed. Refusing to give up, Fern uncovers a shocking secret and now suddenly her whole family is in danger…
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
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