Every Moment Since is a beautifully written, harrowing account of a little boy named Davy and his unsolved disappearance from small town North Carolina.

This isn’t a thriller, nor is it an edge of your seat kind of story. At times it’s a heavy read and very slow paced. I did have to take a few breaks, put it down, and pick it back up again.
It’s a heartbreaking story that tackles suffering, grief, regret, loss, and even secrets surrounding the main characters
.
When Davy’s iconic jacket is found years later the cold case is reopened and investigated like an old festering wound that is desperate to heal; along with the entire community, his family, and friends.

The discovery of Davy’s jacket also brings hope and answers his family, friends, and community never got the first time around.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the eARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for allowing me to read an advance copy.

This wistful novel was a bit difficult to read at times as it was so emotionally gripping. A child, Davey, disappears without a trace, leaving behind the mystery of what has happened to him. His tragedy has affected the remaining characters as we learn throughout the story. I would say grief is a major theme in the story and how you should not take a moment for granted. I would say in some ways it reminded me of The Lovely Bones, but it differs in that the missing child is not the one telling the story, but the mood was very similar to me.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fictional book or likes crime-themed books.

I already gave a review on the audiobook.

Very good story with interested characters and a satisfactory conclusion. I love the mix of genres.

Heartbreakingly sad! Davy Malcor goes missing one night and no one knows what happened. The story is told in multiple POVs -
🎯Thaddeus, the brother, who is semi famous for writing a book about Davy.

🎯Tabitha Malcor, the mother, who's grief has torn her family apart.

🎯Gordon Swift, the man accused of hurting Davy.

🎯Anissa Weaver, a public relations liaison with a link to Davy.

🎯A third person account of that night is interspersed throughout the story.

Each POV takes you deeper into the story. You feel the fear and angst of each character. I couldn't put this book down. The ending surprised me. When the truth about what happened that night was revealed, it broke my heart.

I liked this low burn of a mystery, coupled with domestic drama. I feel like I have read a lot of similar storylines recently and found this one to be well written if a little slow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the eARC.

This was the perfect fall read. Delving into the lives of those who are reeling after Davy disappears and the reopening of the case when the jacket is found. Just really was so well done.

Every Moment Since is an emotive and powerful mystery surrounding one family's grief when their middle child goes missing. Twenty years later when new evidence is discovered, the Malcor family must reunite to dig up old wounds and search for closure.

I loved the dual timelines, varying formats with portions of Thaddeus's memoir, and the multiple narrators. It formed a robust picture of one family coping with the unimaginable. Each family member coped so differently - it felt raw and authentic. Thaddeus wrote a memoir that kept his guilt and his brother's memory alive every day in ways he did not anticipate. Tabitha and Daniel - Davy's parents - split like so many couples do in these situations. And Kristy, the youngest sibling who was too young to even remember much about her brother when he disappeared, lived in his shadow and felt Davy's looming presence her entire life.

I also liked the dynamics of the town. It felt authentic that a small town would be so rocked by this tragedy and that even over 20 years, it would still be at the forefront of people's minds.

I definitely did not predict how the mystery played out which was a plus. I thought I was so smart and figured it out about halfway through and I was glad to be wrong! I also liked that the family really did get closure, though I know that's not the case for so many families. In some ways, this ended with a little much of a bow, but for such a heavy read, it was perhaps needed.

Thank you to Harper Muse for the copy.

It’s 1986, Tabitha just wants a night out with her husband without her children. She’s getting dressed and ready to go when her pre-teen son, TJ, begs to go out and play tag in the farmer’s field with his friends. Tabitha says no, but her husband strikes a deal that TJ can go but only if he takes his younger brother, Davy. While they are out that night, Davy goes missing and is never seen again. Fast forward to 2007, TJ is now Thaddeus and has written a best selling memoir about his experience. His mom and dad have divorced and Davy’s jacket has been found in an abandoned building close to the field. After 20 years, are they finally going to find out what happened to Davy?

This book is sad, please no that going in. It explores how this incident impacts each character in the book from the man accused of the murdering the child, to the parents, and the girl next store. I liked this book, I found the characters well developed and I thought the author handled the subject matter with grace. If you are looking for a literary thriller, this might be the book for you.

I received a copy for review purposes; all opinions are honest and mine alone.


Dual timelines, a book within a book and four narrators are too much for me.

If you take the time to read the author’s note, you’ll learn that she was greatly influenced by two movies about real life missing children. This is evidenced in her writing which could easily become a script(s) for a limited series or a movie. Author, M. M. Whalen, has a restrained style that’s free from sex, violence and foul language.

It’s also is light in thrills, drama, anticipation and those elements that make you want to keep turning pages. I had no trouble putting this book aside for other books or projects. Part of the problem for me is the same story is being told repeatedly by different people. It got boring. Occasionally, there would be a new nugget of information but mostly, it was wash, rinse, repeat…wash, rinse…you get the picture.

Whalen’s writing isn’t bad, it’s just not exciting nor did it draw me in. There was no big twist because the two characters with “secrets” were so easy to figure out, my middle school niece could do it. Actually, this book would be a good read for young adults to read along with their parents. The lessons they could discover and discuss about what happens when rules aren’t followed and truth is avoided are significant.

A very mild, reflective story about a family reliving their worst nightmare and finally getting answers📚

Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC with thanks

Every parent's worst nightmare is to have their child disappear. This beautifully written novel dissects that experience for a family over a 20 years period. Everyone in the small North Carolina town knows the name Davy Malcor. He disappeared in a field in 1985 while playing with his brother and friends. He wandered off from the group and vanished into thin air. When his jacket is found 20 years after his disappearance in an old shed near where he was last seen, the cold case is opened again and the media descends on the small town and Davy's family.

This story is told in two timelines - the night that Davy disappeared and 20 years later when the cold case is re-opened. Davy was 11 years old when he went with his brother Thaddeus to hang out in a local field after dark. Their parents were on their way to a party and agreed that they could go out for a short period of time. When the older brother gets with his friends, he send Davy away. Davy is an embarrassment to him in his Marty McFly jacket that their mother made for him. Davy goes wandering around with a new friend and then he's alone and then he's gone. The police and the whole town searched for him but never found any clues. Twenty years after he went missing, his distinctive jacket was found in an abandoned building near where he was last seen. The police start a search in the area and the media who has followed the case for 20 years descends on the town. So much has changed in the family that Davy disappeared from. His parents are divorced but are still friends. His brother has become a famous author for a memoir that he wrote about his lost brother. But did he tell the whole truth or is he holding back on some important information.

This beautifully written novel looks at not only the family and how the disappearance of a child affected them but also looks at the effect on the small community as they pick up the pieces that remain and try to find hope and healing.

In 1985, 11 year old Davy goes missing to never be found again. In this small community there is level of concern and fear surrounding this missing child. His brother, TJ, who was with him just shortly before missing was profoundly disturbed by his disappearance. When TJ is an adult he writes the story of his missing brother and the circumstances around it.

Things continue along these lines of past and present creating a beautiful tapestry of grief, pain, loss, fear and concern for those in the community and family. I found this book to be engaging and interesting.

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book.

Everyone in a fictional, NC town feels the absence of a the little boy who disappeared twenty years ago. When his jacket is unexpectedly uncovered, the cold case reopens, and Davy's family is thrust into yet another media storm. Striking a similar sad tone as Ethan Joella's "A Quiet Life", this is about the gaping hole left by the absence of a loved one.

Every Moment Since
by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Pub Date: Oct 01 2024

This is my first book by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen, it is an emotional read, about the effects of grief, loss, and the unknown.

It is told in two timelines, the night of Davey's disappearance and the present.

At the age of 11 Davey disappeared over twenty years ago and his memory has haunted the town ever since. When the jacket is unexpectedly uncovered, the cold case reopens.

Every Moment Since is an excellent story with great characters, beautiful writing, and a satisfying conclusion. I would recommend this book.

Many thanks to #EveryMomentSince #NetGalley and #HarperMuse for providing me with an E-ARC of this book.

I'm not sure why I'm drawn to books and movies about missing children. It's truly a parent's worst nightmare. This book definitely powerfully captured how a tragedy like this affects the entire family.

Every Moment Since is about the night an 11 year old boy named Davy Malcor went missing and how his family has lived every moment since that awful night 21 years before. It's told from the perspectives of his mother Tabitha (Tabby), his brother Thaddeus (formerly TJ), Gordon who is a man that has long been suspected of being involved in Davy's disappearance and Anissa who met Davy the night he disappeared and then becomes the Public Information Officer for the family when the case is re-opened when Davy's Marty McFly jacket is found.

I listened to the audiobook and kudos go out to the narrators as well as the author. This was an excellent book but the audio really made it that much more powerful.

It's a sad story, but without giving anything away, I'll say that I felt that it ends with closure and hope that this family will survive and thrive after this horrible tragedy.

Thanks so much to Harper Muse, NetGalley and MaryBeth Mayhew Whalen for the advanced reader copy of both the e-book. Both are available for purchase now.

An eleven year old boy, Davey, is playing games in a field. He was supposed to be with his older brother TJ but his brother ditched him. Davey, ends up missing. What happens after that? This is a story about how something like this can affect the family dynamics, the neighborhood, friends and the police department. The man that is accused of Davey's disappearance has never had a normal life after that. Then after 28 years Davey's jacket is found in an abandoned building and the search begins again. Told in the POV's of Tabitha, the mom, Thaddeus (TJ), the brother, Anissa, the police department liason, Phillip, TJ's friend and Gordon, the accused. The book is very well written in that you could feel the grief and loss of all involved.
It is a powerful book and by that I mean you can feel the devastation of the family and just how something like that affects a family's life. I like the fact that you find out what happened to Davey. Very good writing and a very good story even though it tugged at your heart strings.
Thanks to #netgalley, #harpermuse and @marybethwhalen for an ARC of this book.

The story I read was profoundly touching, dealing with a deeply tragic theme. It tells of a boy who vanishes at the age of 11 while playing in a field, leaving his older brother, who was distracted at the time with his buddies, in a state of devastation. The story leaps forward 21 years, delving into the emotional aftermath for those affected by Davy's disappearance. The narrative structure, which segments the story to focus on each person impacted by the event, from that fateful night to the present, was particularly engaging. The resurfacing of Davy's jacket and the ensuing new search bring the memories of that night back to the surface, causing immense pain, especially for Davy's mother. My sole criticism is the anticlimactic revelation of what transpired that night. The event is briefly addressed, and while it's mentioned that the initial search was mishandled by the police, this point isn't further explored, which I think would have added depth to the police's final search. Overall, it's a heart-wrenching tale of pain that no one should ever have to endure.

A gripping novel about the case of a missing boy and the ripple effect his disappearance had on his family twenty years later.

I simply could not put this one down! The multiple POV made every page turn more exciting than the last! I was blown away at the beauty of each characters story and the heart breaking but hopeful ending. BRAVA MARYBETH!!

Every Moment Since follows the fractured lives of the friends, family, and accused following the disappearance of 11-year old Davy Malchor. The narrative alternates between the final time he was seen in 1985 and when clues to his fate finally emerge in 2006. Davy's older brother, Thaddeus, has written a bestselling memoir about surviving Davy's loss, and must return home to his small town to await news from the sheriff as to whether they will finally have answers about Davy's case. Back home, Thaddeus must wrestle with the discomfort of his parents' broken marriage, his own lost love and friendships, and even the changes to the town and landscape he knew as a child.

This novel was competently written and I appreciate that the author wanted to portray the heartbreak of the families who wait for years for any progress on their cases. However, this novel has the unfortunate fate to have been released in the shadow of All the Colors of the Dark. If you find that book too daunting and would rather read something a bit shorter with an ending that is more pat, then this is a great alternative for you.

This review will be posted to Goodreads and Instagram on October 1, 2024.

Southern storyteller and favorite author Marybeth Mayhew Whalen returns with EVERY MOMENT SINCE —a heart-rendering, gripping, character-driven story of mystery, grief, and loss.

The author brilliantly explores the aftermath of a tragedy when a boy goes missing that profoundly affects the family members, friends, and the entire community.

About...

1985 Wynotte, North Carolina

More than twenty years earlier, on a Saturday evening in a small Southern NC town, a little boy named Davy Malcor goes missing.

He wore a jacket his mom made for his birthday. Davy was never found, leaving behind a grief-stricken family and a town with a mystery and no answers.

When the jacket is discovered, the cold case reopens, and Davy's family is back amid another media sensation.

Four lives are forever changed by this single night when Davy disappears.
~Thaddeus is Davy's older brother, who wrote a bestselling memoir about the experience, although he is not forthcoming with the entire story.
~Tabitha: The mother. She is divorced and lives alone, advocating for victims' rights and journaling her regrets (maybe not all of them).
~Anissa Weaver: She was a young girl when Davy went missing. She also does not reveal all. She serves as the Malcor family's Public Information Officer.
~Gordon Swift: He was the artist living in the woods near Davy's disappearance. When the boy came to his house, he sent him away. Then what. Regrets. Is he responsible?

Everyone is front and center, and the suspects are lining up. What happened the night Davy went missing, and where is he now? There are many suspects.

My thoughts...

EVERY MOMENT SINCE is a hauntingly beautiful story of the aftermath of a loss, a traumatic event, and those connected with inner turmoil, grief, and guilt to healing. There is an ongoing mystery, and everyone has hidden secrets about that night. What if they could change the events leading up to that night?

The author brilliantly explores this small rural Southern community and its dark secrets in this slow-burn mystery from past to present. Vivid in place, high in emotion, and strong in character, infused with tension and lovely prose, EVERY MOMENT SINCE is my favorite of Marybeth's. I am also a Charlotte, NC native, and I love and support NC authors!

It's an emotionally gripping family drama—heartbreaking, compelling, and suspenseful, with unexpected twists. The characters will remain with you long after the book ends. EVERY MOMENT SINCE is an ideal choice for book clubs and further discussions.

Audiobook...

I had the privilege of reading the e-book and listening to the audiobook, which was superior. The audio features a full cast of superstars (some of my favorite narrators): Cassandra Campbell, George Newbern, Kirby Heyborne, Jane Oppenheimer, Macleod Andrews, and Renata Friedman. The audio was exceptional, and the characters came alive. I highly recommend the audiobook!

Recs...

For fans of the author and those who enjoy stories by Jessica Strawser, Eileen Goudge, Susan Redfearn, Rochelle Weinstein, Jen Craven, and Emma Robinson.

Thanks to Harper Muse and Harper Audio for an ARC and ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 1, 2024
Oct 2024 Must-Read Books
October Newsletter

Every Moment Since is a story about a boy named Davy Malcor who goes missing in small town North Carolina in 1985. Disappearing without a trace after a night out with other local kids, suddenly the case is reignited when someone finds the Marty McFly jacket his mother made him. The story follows what happens after, from several different viewpoints. Each character remembers that evening from their memories and how it has shaped them in the present.

This was well written and enjoyable to read. The characters were well developed and relatable, which made me care about them and their part in the story. I found myself wanting to keep reading because I wanted to find out what happened to Davy. The timeliness were easy to follow, and they flowed very well from one to the other. If I had to pick something, I would've liked to have a little stronger of an ending, but that's really nit-picking. This was a wonderful read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Muse, for the ARC.