Thanks NetGalley Publisher and author for this arc copy. 

This was a thrilling read from start to finish. 
I had a hard time being present because I had to finish. 
Talk about a ride. This had so many crazy parts you wont know which way this story is going. 
Absolutely great!

A whodunnit book that will keep you guessing. Marissa wakes up disoriented she can’t remember anything from the night before. She forces her self up to check on her teenaged daughter. Olivia is missing. Marissa calls the police for help which triggers Max Carter from the FBI to be called in. 
As Max begins to investigate he quickly learns there is more to the story. Will Max be able to find Olivia? 
I really enjoyed the layers of details to this story. Thank you to Netgalley for complimentary copy. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the 3rd book in the Max Carter series and i enjoyed this one as much as the previous ones. Hooked from the first page it drew me in and didn't let go. A fast paced storyline with plenty of twists and turns and likeable characters make for a good solid read. I highly recommend this book /series and author.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC. 

I thought this was a very good follow on from Gone in seconds.  Max Carter investigates the abduction of a teenage girl in the middle of the night.  I really liked the plot twists here, there were so many suspects with a motive and just when I thought I knew who did it the author added another twist.   I enjoyed reading of the small glimpses into Max’s past and of his difficult relationship with his father.    Some of the scenes were written so well I could picture them in my mind as I was reading.   Overall I found this to be a fast paced, well written book that kept me guessing and with an ending I didn’t expect.   Hope there is another book to follow.   

4 ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have been choking for this book to come out! The Max Carter series has got to be up there in my TOP US Crime thrillers of all time! 
Ed James certainly knows how to grab his readers by the throat and pull them straight into the storyline! From his killer hook openings, well drawn characters, storylines that take your breath away and an authentic sense of place, he ticks all of my boxes for sure!
Without giving away any spoilers, Max Carter’ past, in the shape of his father remains pretty much at the forefront of his mind and as further revelations are uncovered, the tension becomes pretty damn taut! 
Before She Wakes, focuses on Carter’s investigation into a child abduction but running parallel to this UK police and FBI have joined forces to look further into Max’s father Bill. And let’s just say the tension is ramped up notch after notch as both storylines begin to connect.  It’s fast paced but not breakneck speed; lie after lie is uncovered and I found myself not really knowing who I should trust.
Max Carter could easily have become a stereotype; a chiselled type FBI agent, designed to make us all swoon, but through layers and depth, Ed James has taken him and moulded him into a living and breathing individual, a man with faults and flaws, and with each revelation he peels away another layer for the reader.  His back story and motivation are superb and gives a real insight into his psyche. Watching his interactions with his colleagues and his family, at times feels so real, that it feels like you are peering into a real life situation. As this series progresses, I really do have a real sense of getting to know the man behind the pages.  Added to this, is of course, the sense of place. The books take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of Seattle, bringing them to life in front of your eyes. 
A cleverly crafted and tightly knitted plot, razor sharp dialogue and a cast of characters who take you and pull you into their narrative. It took me to the edge more than once, dangled me over, yanked me back up and repeated the process until it left me broken. Broken, but wanting more!
 You could read this as a standalone but why would you want to miss out on what really is a cracking series! 
Don’t miss it!

Review will be on my blog as part of the blog tour in January

Before She Wakes is the third Max Carter book by Ed James. I really enjoyed this book it had so many twists and I had to keep reading so I could find out how it ended. I definitely recommend this book if you like a good mystery. Thanks Netgalley for this arc for my honest opinion.

This is the third book in the Max Carter series by Ed James and I have now read and enjoyed all three. FBI agent Max Carter is in charge of the Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team and understands what the children are going through. He was abducted as a child so knows first hand the distress the children are experiencing.

Marissa Bukowski is a single mother to her teenage daughter Olivia. One morning Marissa wakes and immediately senses something is not right. She enters her daughters room and everything appears to be normal but there is no sign of Marissa. Olivia’s phone is still charging and her clothes are untouched, on the mirror by Olivia’s desk is cracked and a message written in red ink reads ‘Never Forget’.

FBI special agent Max Carter is called in to investigate and soon discovers that Olivia has been lying to her mother. She has a secret boyfriend and had also been talking to her guidance counsellor in the weeks before she disappeared. The question is what was Olivia not telling her mother? Subsequent blood tests reveal that Marissa was drugged the night Olivia went missing and Carter’s suspicions point at Marissa’s estranged husband, only to find that he too has vanished without trace. Further discoveries of a family secret could put Olivia’s life in imminent danger. With time running out fast Max needs to discover the truth about Olivia’s family and find her before it’s too late?

Another good solid read.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.