Twelve-year-old Cora Landry has started her first year of middle school. She invites her best friend Violet Crow and frenemy Jordyn Petit to her house for a sleepover. However, the girls have plans to sneak out at night without Cora’s parents knowing to explore the town’s abandoned rail yard. Each of the girls have their own reasons for wanting to venture out to the rail yard, but the adventure almost turns deadly when Cora is found on the railroad tracks, bleeding and close to death. The local police launch an investigation and find more suspects than they would have imagined in this terrible tragedy.

This story set in a small town in Iowa, is told in short chapters from many different points of view and formats. The technique works well and makes for a fast-paced story that was also easy to follow. Most of the story is told through Cora’s journal entries, text messages, and chat room posts, as well as narratives from the point-of-view of Violet’s mother, Jordyn’s grandfather, and a psychiatrist assigned to the case. It took me a couple of chapters to get used to the format and once I did, I became fully immersed in the story and didn’t want to put it down. All of the characters are flawed and plenty of people acting suspiciously, which provides plenty of suspects for what ends up happening to Cora. It was hard to know who to root for, but I couldn’t wait to find out what had really occurred. When the truth finally comes out, many people will be forever changed by these events.

In an afterward, the author says the story was inspired by the “Slender Man” character and also various accounts of online bullying. The result is a suspenseful, entertaining story that is scary because of its realism. The ending is haunting and the subject matter of the book will remain with you long after you finish the book. The book has a blurb by the author of “Reconstructing Amelia” on the cover and I do think those who enjoyed that book will like “Before She Was Found.”

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of the publisher. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Heather has given us another intense gripping story that is so relevant to our current culture. Just when you think you have it figured out, another twist is thrown into the mix. I enjoyed the ride!

I love her books and found this one to be no different. It had interesting characters and a good twists and turns to the plot that keep you guessing till the ending. She always includes current events bin her novel.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

This is a very good read. This is my first Heather Gudenkauf and it will definitely no t be my last. It was very difficult to put down and the final few pages were full of suspense. I love mystery and this one did not disappoint. If Mean Girls and Slender Man had a child this book would be it! One of the things I enjoyed most about this book is how wrong I was throughout the book thinking I knew who the suspect was only to be thrown into an amazing twister! Still at the start of the year but I will definitely be adding this to my top reads of 2019.

Heather Gudenkauf is one of my favorite authors so I was thrilled to get a copy of her new book on netgalley. I always find her stories very current with what’s going on in the news. This book deals with many aspects of mental health. Bullying and social media played a major role in the story but it also deals with environment and social acceptance. Different family dynamics were also part of the story and how they shape our personalities. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am giving it 5 well deserved stars!

4 chilling stars for the newest thriller from Heather Gudenkauf! Three 12 years olds have a sleepover that ends with one of them bloody on the traintracks and clinging to life, one of them catatonic and in shock, the third unwilling to help the authorities. The story is told in multiple perspectives through journal entries, text messages, emails, doctors notes, and family members as they deal with this horrifying crime. This a gripping read that will have you suspecting everyone and utterly shocked at the ending! I read this in one sitting, completely caught up as this chilling story unraveled before me. For me, Before She Was Found was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Thank you @harlequinbooks for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

Whoa!!! This YA mystery / thriller has exceeded my expectations! See ya, book slump!

Cora is a lonely 12 year old girl, her one and only best friend moved away months ago, so when a new girl, Violet, appears in her class she is over the moon with excitement and wants nothing more than to become friends with this mysterious new girl.

Unfortunately for Cora, Jordyn (the most popular girl in class and mean girl extraordinaire) is also interested in becoming Violets friend. For Cora this poses a huge problem ~ Jordyn makes her life a living hell at school by taunting and teasing her on a daily basis.

Now that they have Violet in common it appears that Jordyn has accepted Cora into her circle of friends. Cora arranges a sleepover at her house for just the three of them. After midnight these young ladies make a decision that will haunt them forever.

How did it come to be that Cora was found bleeding out and nearly dead on the train tracks? How did Violet become covered in blood while walking out from the woods in the distance? And where exactly is Jordyn? You'll have to read this to find out.

I was completely gripped in this mystery from the very first page but I will admit as I neared the end I thought "OH NO, DON'T LEAVE IT LIKE THIS" (I was ready to chuck my kindle into the wall) but as I turned those final pages I had my AHA moment. I see what you did there, Ms. Gudenkauf, and I applaud your cleverness. 4 *what the hell is going on* stars!

Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a totally captivating story of three pre-teen girls who are caught in a web of social media and peer pressure. Told with text messages, notes from a therapist, a journal and from the viewpoints of various characters, this story was portrayed realistically and in a way that kept me reading long into the night. The three friends are Cora, Jordyn and Violet who happen to decide to have a sleepover together. Before the night ends, one is horribly maimed, another is a psychological wreck and the third goes from being a goody-two-shoes to open defiance. Throughout the book, it was hard to tell who was lying and whose secrets were actually the truth. The conclusion was a real shocker to me; I never saw it coming at all! The ending was teased at but never fully revealed, making for a very satisfying and totally gripping read. Fans of Gudenkauf will not want to miss this one and fans of psychological thriller with a ton of twists will not want to miss out either. Seldom am I so fooled as I was by this book, and it was such a happy feeling when I got to the end that I wanted to read it again and again, just so I could watch for all the clues that I had missed the first time. A solid thriller with a lot of commentary about dangers for society’s pre-teens, dangers that are everywhere.

Heather has done it again. Before She Was Found is a powerful book dealing with the intricacies of friendships and families addressing social media and bullying. In this non stop suspenseful thriller we see what families do to protect their children. As soon as I figured out who I thought did it. Heather threw a new piece of the puzzle in that had me second guessing myself.

First, I want to thank Heather Gudenkauf, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Heather Gudenkauf is back to bring her fan this fast paced, gripping, intense, and thrilling psychological thriller in Before She Was Found. Heather will shock you to the very core in all the secrets in this book. You will be hugging your son, daughter, niece or nephew a little tighter guaranteed.

The cover of the book is totally spot on to the book. Kudos to the graphic designer who designed this.
Many times, in the book I had to keep reminding myself that these girls in the book were only 12 years old. So young to be dealing with adult situations like they were. Cora getting attacked and left for dead on the train tracks and her best friend Violet found nearby just in total shock! Heather did an incredible job when it came to the raw emotions the parents and siblings were feeling.

This book deals with such topics as bullying, pedophile, violence, death, underage drinking, Inappropriate behavior with a teacher to a teacher, revenge, etc.

Heather has a magnificent gift for creating very creative and twisted storylines that keep her readers on their toes. I love that about her.

I would love to see this book made into a big screen blockbuster movie!! I think would be a smash hit.

This book would be perfect for your next book club pick. Heather even has Questions for discussion at the end of the book for you to discuss at your book club.

You can also find a conversation with the author in the back of this book. There she answers questions like what was the inspiration of the book?

Wow....what an unexpected story! I always enjoy Heather Gudenkauf’s books, but this one was exceptionally well done.
So many twists and turns, each time I thought I had it figured out, I was quickly proven wrong.
The story follows Violet, Cora and Jordyn. They are friends, but I use that term loosely, in the way middle school girls change their mind and change their friends at the drop a hat.
The night of a sleepover at Cora’s house leaves all three out in the middle of the night, with Cora attacked and Jordyn and Violet not talking.
While the beginning of the book led me to believe the book would be based on The Slenderman urban legend and real life story of two girls attacking their friend, I found that wasn’t really the case. While it does involve an urban legend in the town, the story of Cora and her frenemies, as well as their respective families, goes much deeper than that.

I will only publish this review on Netgalley, since many will like the book.
I personally have a very difficult time reading books about young children, bullying and violent crimes against them.
I should have thought more about the subject before requesting a copy.
That being said, well written, just too upsetting for me.

I have been a fan of Heather Gudenkauf books since day one.
This book is full of suspense and keeps me guessing until the end.
Cora is kind of a loner but when violet moved to town they because quick friends until what I’d call the mean girl jordyn interveens. She is a bully and created a quick wedge between Cora and Violet. Then they all became friends or so we thought. Many twists and turns and surprises! Heather Gudenkauf does it again! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review this.
Keep reading you won’t be sorry you did!

This might be Gudenkauf's best work yet. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight. And I have so many thoughts, yet so few words to describe everything I'm feeling right now.

We follow the story of Cora, Violet, and Jordyn. One girl is attacked at the train yard, and the other two walk away. Who did it, and why? This story was crazy, and I definitely did not guess that ending. Phenomenonal.

This one just wasn't for me. I won't be adding a review or rating outside of submitting via NetGalley as I feel most people will enjoy this one, and have no desire to sway anyone from trying this book. Thank you for the opportunity!

This book gave me the chills! Three 12-year-old girls get in way over their heads at a sleepover and one of them ends up almost dead, leaving the small town stunned. Who could do this? A thriller that kept me guessing until the end!

We have Cora, Violet, and Jordyn and a complicated friendship. Violet is new to town and trying to make friends. Cora is looking for a new best friend and Jordyn is the queen bee. There is some bullying and teen behavior that typifies middle-school girls. The girls’ parents get drawn into the aftermath of the tragedy and there are some interesting dynamics there! Some of the adults don’t exhibit model behavior, justified as protecting the ones they love. These characters seem like a powder keg just waiting to go off!

Gudenkauf uses some interest storytelling tools: text messages, psychologist notes, and some chapters from a diary that start to put the pieces together, but I was way off on my guesses for this one. I started to suspect everyone, and the author was so clever. This was my fourth Heather Gudenkauf book and she remains a consistent go-to author for a thriller that does not disappoint.

*my Goodreads review will be updated closer to publication date

Holy smokes! This one grabbed me by the throat on the first page and didn't let up until the last page. This was the kind of book I walked around my house reading while hoping no one needed anything.

Three 12 year old little girls, frenemies, by any definition, are having a sleepover. Why did they end up at the train tracks? Who attacked Cora so viciously and why? Why happened to Violet and Jordyn that night? Who's telling the truth? Which end is up? Help, I smell blue! The pressure built and built until the whole thing came roaring together and it was so surprisingly satisfying!!

Told from the POV of the girls, the psychiatrist, the parents, and the police reports in a way that was not remotely confusing is no small feat, yet Gudenkauf pulls it off seamlessly. This is five stars all day.

ALL OF THE STARS!! All OF THEM!

I loved it.

Thank you to Heather Gudenkauf, Harlequin, and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

An interesting look at bullying and small town life. Due to the way the story was told (multiple POVs and different formats), it was hard to get to know the characters. Also the resolution just didn’t work for me. There wasn’t enough of a Cora’s story to make the ending believable.

Thank you to Heather Gudenkauf, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Park Row for this ARC.

This book was great, and based off the real life horrors of the Slenderman assault. It was a quick read, and very entertaining. The twist in the last fifteen minutes or so of the book was definitely unexpected, and something the reader wouldn't expect.

I love all of Heather Gudenkauf's books, and this was a great one.

I have read all of this author's books. This book of course, did not disappoint. It made me wan to stay up late to find the outcome of this thrilling story. Present day problems of teens communicating on the internet and bullying were topics incorporated in this story of teens on a sleepover gone bad. I will definitely purchase this book for my library branch because I have many Gudenkauf fans.