<i>Before She Was Helen</i> is Caroline B. Cooney's new thriller for an adult audience. The book follows Helen, a retiree in living in a relatively upscale retirement community in South Carolina. Helen has an agreement to check in on an immediate neighbor after he had an accident and wasn't found until much later. When the neighbor doesn't respond to Helen's text messages she enters his townhouse to make sure he's okay. What she finds there sends her down a dark path that involves dealing with own past while trying to prevent it from catching up with her today.

The first part of the book was pretty fast paced and interesting, but the plot seemed to go off the railes the longer the book went on. The repeated confrontations with Clemmie and the coach just seemed to get sadistic after a while and seemed to fall into the trap of sexual assault as a way of moving the plot forward. Without spoiling the ending, I'm still not entirely sure I understand the motivations of each character in the present timeline--particularly with the final confrontation.

I did really like the the protagonist with a retiree, which was a nice twist on the thriller genre right now, but one of the things that stuck out to me as old fashioned and kind of tone deaf was an pretty gross anti-abortion comment by the narrator. She makes a throw away comment about not killing the victim that made me go "Yikes" while reading it and then never addresses it again. It made Clemmie less sympathetic and made Cooney seem really judgmental. For a book that repeatedly shows the trauma of sexual assault, the comment was exceptionally uncalled for.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press & NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to check this book out in advance. Cooney was a favorite of mine growing up, and I was excited to see what this book had in store.

This is very different than the middle grades stories of Cooney’s I had read in the past. Somehow in reading the description, I thought that Clemmie was a young person. I was quite surprised to find out that she was a senior citizen. I liked her, but I found it harder to connect with her.

This book was one question after another. Who are these people? What the hell is going on? Why is that door there? As a reader, it keeps you turning the pages, but what slowed me down is that, apart from Clemmie, I didn’t like the characters. Her grandniece and -nephew were awful.

Overall, I was very interested in finding out what was going on, but this one wasn’t my cup of tea.

When I read the blurb I thought Before I was Helen would be a stereotypical 3 star murder mystery but I was completely wrong. It is a fantastic novel, so complex yet so simple.

I enjoyed getting to know Clemmie/Helen. I was rooting for her from the very beginning and I was instantly drawn into the murder next door, on the edge of my seat waiting to find out who.did it. But I was even more drawn to Clemmie's back story.

I loved that the author explored multiple points of view and different time periods. In many novels this form of narration can be confusing but Caroline B. Clooney used the third person and weaved everything together so well that it was easy to follow.

A heartbreaking and heartwarming novel. I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book for my honest review. Yayy I was so excited that I was chosen to read and review this book and it is definitely worth reading it. Me personally I had a bit of a slow start but it picked up and finished great.

Caroline B. Cooney brings me back to my youth, I remember reading her books and being excited to read them. Before she was Helen was quick paced and a good read. It takes place in a retirement community. Which sounds kinda blah but was far from it. You go back in forth from present day to in Helen’s past. When her neighbor is found dead you question everything who is Helen and what did she do?

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus



Clemmie lives a careful and circumspect life in a retirement village in the South. She teaches Latin part time, plays cards, and checks on her neighbors. She also has two cell phones, one for her family, and one for everyone else, to whom she is Helen. When her next door neighbor, the unpleasant Dom, doesn't check in with her, she does to his house to investigate. She doesn't find him, but does find an odd door that goes to a connecting unit, rarely inhabited by couple who keep to themselves. She takes a picture of an interesting glass sculpture to send to her niece and nephew, but doesn't worry too much about Dom, since his golf cart is gone. Things, however, escalate. Her nephew does an image search for the glass, and finds out it is stolen drug paraphernalia worth a lot of money, and manages to let the creator and owner, Boro, know his great-aunt has it. Boro is determined to get it back, and hunts Clemmie down. Clemmie worries, because her own back story has been very complicated, and she has been living under an assumed identity since college. As the drug related mystery evolves, so does a fifty year old cold case from Connecticut that is all too familiar to Clemmie. The coach of her brother's team, Rudyard Creek, was killed in a highway picnic area, and the murderer was never found. In flashbacks, we find out what her connection to this case was as the events surrounding Boro and Dom, as well as her neighbors, unfold at the retirement village. Clemmie has always been careful, but will this one misstep disarray all of her careful plans?

Trigger warnings: Rape, drug use, stalking.
Strengths: This was an utterly captivating and intense novel; I had to take a break halfway through it because I just needed to breathe! The details about both the present problems and the past ones were so well thought out and intricately arranged that I found myself almost holding my breath on several occasions. I was completely amazed by Clemmie's resiliency and resourcefulness in the face of horrible things that happened to her and kept happening to her, and by how she was able to create a new identity because of the lack of paper trails in the past. I don't want to spoil the twists and turns by saying too much. This was an excellent read, and I appreciated that the character was an older woman with a past!
Weaknesses: As a former Latin teacher from Ohio, I just really wanted an entire book about Clemmie's career in the last several decades of the 1900s.
What I Really Think: This was just exquisite. Cooney has an impressive range, from picture books to historical fiction to medical mysteries, but this was by far her best book. Not only that, but even though it has several disturbing topics, the story is delivered with discretion for those of us who are used to the profanity and detail free books of middle grade. I sort of want a follow up about how Clemmie's life proceeds after the book ends, but it's not really need it. We are given the hints we need to imagine her new life.

A different plot in a retirement community involving drugs and a woman living a double life caught unwittingly in it. The past segments were intense while the present were slow. The conclusion deals with everyone aptly. A fun read.

I completely and absolutely loved this story. The very original plot which combined a comedy, drama and murder mystery wrapped up in one book. The main character Clemmie as I felt her sadness for all she endured, and her strength of character to keep going strong regardless. The author accurately depicts the late 50s, early 60s and how we women were made to stay silent in so many ways, and the price that was paid because of it. . I love the accurate descriptions of the retirement community and the people within it, and how those not old perceived their aging , especially Clemmie’s young relatives. Most of all I loved Clemmie’s spirit. This book was funny, it was sad, and it grabbed me from the first page.

A fun read! Slightly hard to follow with all the characters, trying to keep track of who did what and when, but a lighthearted whodunit, except for the flashbacks, which were pretty intense. I loved Caroline B. Cooney's books when I was a kid, and I enjoyed this one today!

Clemmie lives in a retirement community under the name Helen Stephens. When her neighbor goes missing she lets herself into his house to check on him. She was unable to find him but she did find what she thought was a pretty glass sculpture. She takes a picture of it and sends it to her grandnephew and niece. The grandnephew does some research and traces it to it's owner, Unwittingly, he started an avalanche of problems for Clemmie.
This book wasn't quite what I was expecting but I found it to be a quick, fun, quirky read.

Before she was Helen, her name was Clementine or Clemmie for short, and this is her story.

Many mysteries abound in Clemmie's world - who killed her next-door neighbor, how did a drug dealer's beautiful glass drug paraphernalia, that looked like artwork, get in the empty bungalow nearby, where's the million dollars that belongs to the drug dealer, and who killed Rudyard Creek fifty years ago. And the solving of those many mysteries creates a story that is fast-paced, full of suspense, and at times, jaw-dropping.

There are two main elements of this novel – the modern-day mystery and the life of Clementine Lakefield, aka Clementine Murray, aka Helen Stephens.

The modern-day mystery is very much a plot-driven tale about who killed Clemmie's neighbor and stole a drug dealer's prized possession along with 1 million of his illegally earned dollars. Borobasq is suave and cocky, living in a world that bends to his will. When he learns that his stolen goods are in a retirement village outside of Charlotte, NC, he doesn't hesitate to get on a plane and investigate. He is not above hurting senior citizens, which is very easy to do when you don't understand the medications they may take or the physical limitations that come with aging. His dastardly determination creates much of the suspense that keeps the pages turning quickly. He quickly finds all that doesn't add up in this neighborhood of senior citizens – things that most people wouldn't ever think possible much less probable because he doesn't look at them like senior citizens. He suspects everybody in an ingenious drug trafficking business in the middle of an unassuming retirement village.

The focus on a retirement community does not limit this story's accessibility to younger (as in more youthful than 55 years old) readers, since a good percentage of the story is about Clemmie and her life, starting in her teen years. While the current day mystery brings in all the action and suspense, I expected from a mystery, Clemmie's story brings in a tragic, even poignant, element that is as unexpected as it is moving.

Clemmie's life story is character-driven and even more impactful than murder and a drug dealer running amok in a retirement community. We learn early on that her brother's coach rapes her, and since it is the fifties, she is unable to tell anyone or bring him to justice. She felt no one would believe her, and considering her parents' reaction to the subsequent pregnancy, it seems as though she is right about their probable response. The rest of her story is one that is defined by those tragic and criminal events. She is never able to process what happened to her and to move on to a full life – one where she enjoyed the love and companionship that she always wanted. And it goes on to frame her reaction to current day events.

These reactions caused me a great deal of frustration with Clemmie. I just wanted to take her by the hand and walk her through what she needed to do as the mystery unfolded, and the drug dealer hid out in her home. Clemmie is an exciting mix of fantastic strength and learned helplessness. Though this is a frustrating element in the novel, it did succeed in holding me in the stories' grip and not letting go until the last page.

The conclusion is a surprising twist, and I love unexpected twists. I will say that there is a lot more than card games going on in Sun City, which is an actual retirement neighborhood in Fort Mill, SC, right outside of Charlotte, NC. I live north of Charlotte, so it was bizarre for me to read about a setting that is… well… home. There is part of me that wants to drive down to Sun City to see what's going on.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I usually feel confident in writing a review, but I'm not quite sure what to say about this book. The author has been successful writing teen/ya novels. This is the opposite, the heroine being a septuagenarian living in housing for the elderly.
My preference is for historical mysteries that take me someplace I want to go. A complex for the aged is not a choice I would make. The book opens quietly. If I had picked it up on a library shelf to thumb through, I believe I would have put it back down, but I had gotten a free copy from NetGalley and felt responsibility to read and review it honestly.
As I began to read, I started to have questions. What in the world was going on here? And it turned out that the book had important things to say. Heads up MeToo'ers! Oh yes, how my questions built! I couldn't read fast enough to satisfy my curiosity! Surprises at every corner!
I don't want to say more because I don't want to be guilty of giving a single spoiler.. Thank you Caroline B. Cooney, publisher, and NetGalley for filling my Covid-19 quarantine with such unexpected adventure!

Before She Was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney , published by Poisoned Pen Press, is a full length stand-alone romance.
A story well written and with a storyline full of twists and unexpected turns.
I started reading and was thrown right into the story. There was no easying in.
Meet Clemmie/ Helen, a woman in her seventies, living all aone without kids or a husband. She has had a rough life, but she's still living a secret life. My gosh, my heart hurt for what happened to her , it's heart-wrenching and hard to bear.
Before She Was Helen is a complex story , the writing is great and I connected easily with the characters.

This book was a wonderful read! The two stories of the main character were blended so beautifully. I felt the emotional connections between the characters so clearly, I felt as if I know them.
The story left itself open for another book and I certainly hope there will be one.
Beautifully written!!
I don’t like to include spoilers in my reviews. So, I will just say...read it. Well written, great characters, excellent story flow.

I was so excited when I saw this ARC by Caroline B. Cooney as I loved reading her books when I was younger!

I really enjoyed this book. I've never read a book set in a retirement setting with a older main character, but I LOVE Clemmie!

Before She Was Helen was a crazy roller coaster ride. There is something for everything wrapped up is this novel! Murder, life long secrets, a dark painful past. And it's even got it's fair share of comedic relief!

The timing of the flashbacks give the book a great pace and the twists and turns kept me intrigued. Definitely recommend for fans of murder/mystery.

Thanks netgalley and publishers for the opportunity to review this book

I haven’t read a Caroline B. Cooney book since The Face on the Milk Carton when I was a teenager. This one pulled me in just as much and I couldn’t put it down to see how it unfolded. I really enjoyed the different setting and characters of this one and the seemingly implausible circumstances that came together so well at the end. 3.5 stars.

Did I pick this up because I was 100% obsessed with The Face on the Milk Carton and all of Caroline B. Cooney's books in middle school? Why, yes I did. This really brought me back to everything that I loved about that series and Cooney's writing style. This was a quick read with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing and interested throughout. There are several story lines that all come together but I enjoyed that the story kept shifting between them. I did find that the last portion of the book came together a little too quickly for me after all of the build up but it was definitely worth the read. I enjoyed the characters and the story was fast paced enough to hold my attention to finish this in one sitting. If you are looking for a hardcore mystery/thriller, you should look elsewhere but if you want something that is intriguing and will keep you on your toes, definitely pick this up!

I was so excited to read this book. I can still remember doing my book report in middle school on “The Face on the Milk Carton.” [[Hopefully I wasn’t the only kid who, after reading the book, asked their parents if they were actually their child.]]

From the start of “Before She was Hellen” the main character, Clemmie, was personable and easy to relate to. She is caring but still has the worries we all experience, like about our more debilitated or older next door neighbor becoming too dependent on us. The book is a good reminder that we all have secrets and we can only hide them for so long – it adds a new perspective to the stories that our grandparents are telling and makes you question what details have they left out? For those of us that are a younger generation the book truly emphasizes the disadvantages that women have always faced throughout history, particularly in the 50’s and 60’s. I usually do pretty well with guessing the murderer but this one kept me on my toes until the reveal. I did feel that something was missing at the end, I think as a reader I wanted more closure with maybe including Clemmie’s son meeting her for the first time, but then again this sets the author up for another book.

The only part that I wasn’t found of was the authors normalization of increased urinary frequency and bladder incontinence with aging. It’s most likely due to my working as a physical therapist with a focus on women’s health that I was annoyed by it. FYI – leaking urine is not normal no matter what age you are and increased urinary frequency can be easily addressed with changes in diet and pelvic floor strengthening.

Overall it was a great and quick read.

Who didn't love Caroline B. Cooney novels as a kid? I must have read my copy so much that the cover fell off, and I always wanted to know more about Janie's life! So when I say that Cooney had a new adult novel out, I was dying to get my hands on it.

Before She Was Helen is about an older woman who is living in Sun City, a small, close-knit community where most of the neighbors know each other and know each other's business. However, her community does not know that the woman they know as Helen is actually a woman named Clemmie, and they have no idea the real story behind their neighbor. Helen has two separate phones for her family that she still keeps in contact with and her current life, and for many years she has managed to hide her identity. This all changes one night when Helen goes looking for her missing neighbor and stumbles across a marijuana rig that is in the shape of a beautiful dragon. She sends a picture to her grandniece and nephew, without realizing that she is risking her true identity when the rig turns out to be stolen from a drug dealer. The reader is left wondering about the whereabouts of Clemmie's missing neighbor and the secrets that Clemmie has been hiding for the last fifty years.

This novel is definitely for you if you are looking for a mystery written by a familiar face, and you want to get lost in someone else's world for a little while.

Initially, I was interested in this book because I remember The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B Cooney from when I was younger. Beginning to read, I wasn’t so sure about it. Told from the point of view of elderly Clemmie, it felt sort of odd and quirky, definitely not my typical read. It ended up capturing my attention and I got caught up in the many characters and wanted to help Clemmie figure out her story. I most looked forward to the flashbacks to Clemmie’s high school/young adult life, as she dealt with a serious problem in a society so different than ours. While it was not quite a thriller, I enjoyed it for the mystery it was.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.