A Profoundly Moving Journey of the Heart
Oh, where do I even begin with Mary Mayhew Walen's Every Moment Since? I went into this book expecting a gripping thriller or a twisty mystery, and while there was a compelling mystery at its core, what I found instead was something far more profound and infinitely more rewarding. This isn't just a book you read; it's an emotional journey that resonates deep within your soul.

From the very first page, I was utterly captivated by the characters. They felt so incredibly real, complex, and beautifully flawed. I didn't just read about them; I lived alongside them, celebrating their small victories and feeling every pang of their struggles. Walen has an extraordinary talent for crafting individuals you genuinely connect with, making their experiences feel deeply personal.

What truly sets this book apart is its exploration of healing and the challenging, yet ultimately liberating, process of letting go. It delves into the quiet, powerful moments of human vulnerability and resilience, showing how people navigate grief, forgiveness, and the pursuit of peace. It's a testament to the quiet strength found in moving forward, even when the past casts a long shadow. This theme resonated with me long after I turned the final page.

The entire reading experience was incredibly immersive. I found myself completely lost in the world Walen created, often forgetting I was even reading. This was undoubtedly amplified by the outstanding narration. The voice carried such depth, nuance, and emotion, pulling me even further into the characters' lives and the story's poignant themes. Every word felt perfectly placed, every pause meaningful.

Every Moment Since is a triumph. It’s a beautifully written, deeply felt narrative that cleverly weaves a mystery into a powerful story of human connection, growth, and the enduring spirit. If you're looking for a book that will touch your heart, make you think, and leave you feeling truly moved, this is it. Absolute perfection.

“Every Moment Since” by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen is a deeply emotional and finely crafted novel that explores the ripple effects of a child’s disappearance on a small Southern town. The story, while fictional, feels profoundly real, offering a respectful and empathetic portrayal of grief, regret, and resilience.

The author masterfully weaves together the perspectives of four central characters—each tied to the tragedy in unique and heartbreaking ways. Thaddeus Malcor’s success as a memoirist raises questions about the cost of sharing personal pain with the world, while Tabitha Malcor’s quiet advocacy and weekly rituals reveal the depth of a mother’s sorrow. Anissa Weaver’s hidden connection to Davy adds layers of tension, and Gordon Swift, long suspected of involvement, struggles to outrun the shadows of his past. These layered narratives create a gripping and deeply human story that kept me turning pages.

What struck me most was Whalen’s ability to capture the weight of unresolved grief and the enduring love for a lost child. The descriptions of Davy—his juggling act, his Marty McFly jacket—brought him vividly to life, making his absence all the more poignant. I was moved to tears multiple times, especially as the story unfolded to reveal the secrets and regrets each character carried.

Whalen’s haunting prose and nuanced character work make “Every Moment Since” a standout novel that lingers long after the final page.

I was captivated by the subject matter of this book but not so much by the characters. I enjoyed the audiobook but it’s not something I would read again

What a gut-wrenching tale of secrets and family and small towns - my favorite! This is a book that won't be soon forgotten and the setting was divine. A great read!

Five massive stars! I’ve never read anything by this author before but liked the sound of this book so thought I’d give it a try. Wow what can I say. I absolutely loved it. The story is told in two timelines which flowed together perfectly. It was very sad but beautifully written. I listened to the audio version and the narrators were perfect. I will definitely look out for more by this author. Highly recommend

This book hooked me quickly and had me wanting to know more. Then the pace slowed and I felt that it was dragging a bit. As more characters were introduced I adjusted my mindset on the thriller aspect and embraced the story and the depth of emotion. I enjoyed the dual timeline and the narrators did a great job. Overall it was a good read and I would recommend!
Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins Focus and Marybeth Mayhew Whalen for the ARC!

This was a fantastic book and the narrators really shined. I think this was a somber but presumably realistic representation of grief and self hatred. The whodunnit part was tastefully done and not the focus. The focus was on the family and their pain. I really enjoyed it

Davy Malcon disappeared when he was 11 years old, and 20 years later, his favorite jacket was finally found. His older brother, Thaddeus, wrote a bestseller about the experience and chose to continue his book tour instead of returning home to reunite with his family while revisiting the investigations.
I decided to read this book after seeing its description. I thought it would be just another mystery that I normally read, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was much better than I expected.
This book goes beyond just the crime; it explores how it affects the family and how the lack of answers can destroy relationships.
If you enjoy reading about crimes and mysteries, I highly recommend this book. I believe it shows a different side of these types of stories, highlighting the pain that such crimes can cause.

I thought this was a really good thriller. Not too scary or dark, but twisty enough to keep my attention. I liked the perspective of the sibling of a missing child + the writer of a bestselling memoir about their experience.

In Every Moment Since, Marybeth Mayhew Whalen expertly weaves a haunting and emotional tale that explores the deep scars left by an unresolved tragedy. Set in the small Southern town of Wynotte, North Carolina, the story centers around the mysterious disappearance of little Davy Malcor, a case that has haunted the town for over twenty years.

The narrative shifts between four key characters whose lives were profoundly altered by Davy's disappearance. Thaddeus Malcor, Davy’s older brother, has built a career and gained fame by writing a bestselling memoir about his family's ordeal, though it only tells part of the truth. Tabitha, Davy’s mother, lives with the weight of regret, keeping her most painful secret locked away. Anissa Weaver, a former childhood friend, is now the Malcor family’s Public Information Officer, carrying a secret connection to Davy. Finally, Gordon Swift, a man long suspected in Davy’s disappearance, must now confront his past as the case resurfaces in the media.

Whalen’s writing is lush and evocative, pulling readers into the complexities of grief, guilt, and the long-lasting impact of unsolved mysteries. As the case reopens, the characters must confront not only the truth about Davy’s disappearance but also the emotional aftermath that has shaped their lives in unexpected ways.

Every Moment Since is a deeply reflective and compelling story, exploring the themes of family, regret, and healing. Whalen’s delicate exploration of how a small-town tragedy affects its residents makes this novel an emotionally rich read that will resonate with fans of Southern fiction and readers looking for a character-driven mystery.

So good on audio! The full cast was phenomenal. I wanted to give this one 5 stars but there was something missing to really make me love it. It might have been the ending. I want to read more from this author so there's that.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* This was a good read, would reread for sure as well!

This was a sad but poignant read with a flash of hope. I love that the mystery was finally solved but saddened by the broken hearts/lives left in the wake. This was my 1st book by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen but it will definitely not be my last!

#EveryMomentSince
#NetGalley

Awesome full cast narration, each with their own charm to add to the story.

I thought the pacing fit the plot and unraveling of events wonderfully, as we are taken through the before and after of Davey's disappearance, and the lives he touched in life and death.

Heavy on the theme of grief and moving on with life after the death of a loved one. The characters grow on you and by the end of the book I was satisfied with everyone's ending.

Not for readers looking for a high stakes thriller, the murder investigation often takes a back seat to the character development.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Listeners Copy.

Every Moment Since reads like an episode of Dateline or a docuseries on Netflix. It's a slow burn with a a lot of time spent developing the characters. I spent most of the book just waiting to know what happened but also not wanting it to go a certain way. The story line and character development reminded me of a Jodi Picoult novel. I will be looking for more books by Ms. Whalen.

I really enjoyed this audio book! A tale about grief, loss, guilt, and the way that we each process how to move forward with that trauma. The accuracy of the innocent having to prove their innocence was particularly interesting to me, as it echoes what we so often see in reality. Well done. Would recommend this read.

Riveting & heartbreaking story of a missing child and a family at the center of it all dealing with the loss, the grief that comes and the eventual closing of the case. Big thank you to NetGalley, Marybeth and Harper Muse for the eARC audiobook copy! I loved it!

What to Expect:
⭐ Multiple POV
⭐ Past and Present Storylines
⭐ Missing child case turned murder investigation
⭐ A family torn apart from the loss
⭐ A typical subject wrongfully accused
⭐ An unexpected murder and investigation

My Thoughts:
This story was absolutely riveting. The multiple point of view story telling really requires you to dig in to the story. You will miss things if you don't! You have to stay on top of who is the current story teller and how it relates to the overall story being told. I imagine this might be easier with a physical copy, but with two narrators in dual telling it wasn't hard I just had to back track to make sure I remembered who was the current speaker.

This family breaks my heart. It is every single parents worst nightmare. In this case there is so much guilt and not just of the family. There is guilt for those in their lives who were a part of the evenings events and unfolding of the main event. There is guilt by those as secondary characters and even those of the community surrounding the main family.

Hearing TJs story through the memoir but then also what we hear from him directly through out his story telling is just heartbreaking. Truly heartbreaking for any and all involved. While most will find the ending a surprising and the actual truth of all events unfolding from that night, there is a bittersweetness that comes with the case closing. Seeing the family as a whole back together as one unit, supporting each other, physically and emotionally holding each other up is so moving.

I truly enjoyed this story. I loved where the author comes from in wanting to have written it. True reminders of some of the children that went missing who really earmarked what missing children cases would look like for years to come.

Synopsis:
Everyone in Wynotte, North Carolina, knows the name Davy Malcor. Knows the video clip of him juggling four balls, "All at the very same time!" Knows the Marty McFly jacket his mother made for his birthday that he wore proudly, and often. But no one knows what happened to him the night he went missing more than twenty years ago.

When the jacket is unexpectedly uncovered, the cold case reopens, and Davy's family is thrust into yet another media storm. But at the heart of the story are four people forever changed by one single Thaddeus Malcor, Davy's older brother, created the life of his dreams by writing a bestselling memoir about his family's experience and is enjoying success and notoriety as a result, even if the memoir doesn't quite reveal the whole story. Tabitha Malcor, his mother, is divorced and living alone, advocating for victims' rights and faithfully cataloging her regrets each week, never including her biggest regret of all. Anissa Weaver was just a kid herself when Davy went missing, and her connection to him is one she cannot reveal as she serves as the Malcor family's Public Information Officer. And, long suspected in Davy's disappearance, Gordon Swift has kept his head down and scraped together a decent life. But the new attention to the case makes it impossible to hide from the public, and the past.

A mystery when a boy goes missing and twenty years later who did it and why is still unknown. When the cold case is reopened the past is brought up again and old and new suspects are brought to light. This book is compelling with lots of twists and turns you never see the end coming.

"Every Moment Since" is a slow-burn small-town mystery, A cold case 20 years later, and they are figuring things out. This is a multiple POV narrative, narrated by a full cast. While most of the story revolves around Davy's older brother, Thaddeus, Davy's mother, and the police, grief itself is portrayed so pervasively that it's almost a character itself. There's a melancholic weight to this novel that feels both undeniable and inevitable. I enjoyed the mystery, and the fact that the plot wasn't cookie-cutter predictable.

This was a really interesting read. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Marybeth Mayhew Whalen for the audiobook preview.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with a free audiobook copy of Every Moment Since in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t typically enjoy stories with multiple points of view, but the full cast of narrators made it much easier to follow and added depth to each character's perspective. The narration brought the story to life in a way that might not have been as engaging in a standard format.
The story itself was solid, and while the mystery aspect didn’t completely grip me, it still held my interest throughout. The pacing and writing kept me invested, and I found the characters compelling enough to want to see how their stories unfolded.
Overall, Every Moment Since is a well-executed audiobook with strong narration that makes it a worthwhile listen, especially for fans of multi-POV storytelling.