This is a another domestic thriller on the tails of Gone Girl of which i cannot seem to resist reading. I love a good thrilling fast paced story with twists and turns and this book has all that. Unfortunately I figured out thjs twist about halfway through. That did not stop me reading because with that being said the story certainly pulls you along . Told from two different characters Emma and Jane with very similar circumstances. I must admit I am a little tired of the very rich over controlling male that women just cannot resist. However at the end of the day despite my objections this turned out to be an entertaining read

One Folgate Street, in the Hendon neighborhood of London, is no ordinary house. The rental property has a low rent for the area, but not just anyone can rent it. Becoming a tenant in the minimalist "smart" house requires the completion of an extensive application, accompanied by photographs, and approval by the owner-architect Edward Monkford, who conducts a personal interview before accepting tenants. The tenants must abide by the terms of a contract that imposes a series of rules about how the home must be maintained and furnished. Certain items, such as throw pillows and any kind of clutter, are prohibited. Tenants must complete periodic "assessments": questionnaires taken through the property's "Housekeeper" app, which shuts down house services (like the shower) until the assessment is completed.



The book is structured in two time frames, "THEN" and "NOW." Emma Matthews narrates the "THEN" chapters, and Jane Cavendish narrates "NOW." Both women successfully complete the application process and move into One Folgate Street, after having experienced a personal trauma. Each woman, for her own reason, is attracted to the simple, open design of the house and senses that the home's rules and procedures will transform them into better versions of themselves.



Jane becomes aware that Emma died in the house, under mysterious circumstances. As she delves into Emma's life at One Folgate, she soon discovers that she and Emma bore a physical resemblance to one another. On top of that, certain personal developments in Jane's life parallel Emma's. Is Jane's life in danger, too? What are Edward Monkford's motives in having the house shape the lives of its tenants?



The narrative moves quickly, and the plot contains a series of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. With both women, there are surprises as bits of new information continue to change the impression the reader has been developing of the narrators. Recommended to readers who enjoy a fast-moving psychological thriller.


I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley. This has not prevented me from writing an honest review.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

I really give this 2.5 stars, and the only reason it scores that high with me is because I felt compelled to read it to the end to learn the conclusion. Also, along the way, I will admit that I did not see "the twist" coming, so that was interesting. However, I did not like the characters, I outright hated the architect, I found the idea that people would knowingly submit to onerous rules to live in a modern, uncomfortable-sounding living space (can you call something like this a house?) for little rent to be extremely far-fetched, and I dislike the use of crying rape as a plot device. Need I go on? I bought this for my library already based on the buzz, but I might not have if I had read this galley first.

I'm a bit conflicted on how to review this book, because I enjoyed it quite a bit, but not for the reasons I think the author intended. While this is advertised as a mystery/thriller, that part of the book fell flat for me. It read much more like a "puzzle" or a question, and not much like a suspenseful mystery. I didn't much care for Emma's character (even in the beginning, and certainly later on in the book), although I did like Jane. So the twists and turns amongst the characters really didn't hold much for me. I also had issues with the plausibility of parts of the storyline, and "why" things were the way they were.

What did hold my interest was the house. I was fascinated with the concept of living such a stark and uncluttered life, and I spent a fair amount of time wondering if I could do that, and how it would affect me. I was also struck by the irony that all of these characters who gave up all but the fewest of their possessions ended up having astronomical amounts of emotional baggage. Was the shedding of possessions their way of trying to appear unencumbered, or did the lack of tangible "stuff" increase their emotional burdens? Either way, it was a fascinating experiment to read about.

So while I did enjoy the book, I feel like it was for all the wrong reasons, and I'm afraid that someone looking for a true suspenseful mystery is going to be disappointed in this one.

This book was captivating from beginning to end. At first it was a bit confusing how they switched between the 2 main characters, Emma and Jane. The similarities were interesting to learn about and I was entrigued and captivated by the house and what each woman was willing to give up to live there. A must read!

I was given an ARC of this book from Net Gallery for an honest review. This book is difficult for me to review because I had such mixed feelings about it. One on hand, it was an excellent psychological thriller, thus the 4 star review. I loved how the chapters were short and the story alternated between the two women's stories. Definitely had me turning the pages to see what happened next. What disturbed me about this story is how manipulated the women in this story were by the men in their lives. They both seemed to enjoy being under someone else's control, and in fact, the girl before craved it. A good read, but I didn't particularly like the story if that makes sense.

I really enjoyed this page turner of a novel. I went into the book without a lot of expectations. I decided to read this book based on the summary which sounded like it had the making of a good thriller. It turns out that I was hooked by the story almost immediately and found myself doing that thing where I promise that I will read just one more chapter and before I knew it, I had read half the book.

This books tells two stories from two different timelines. Emma and Jane have both lived at the house at One Folgate Street. One Folgate Street is not your average house. It is a house with rules. Lots of rules. Rules that most people wouldn't even want to try to follow. If a potential tenant decides that they want to live in the house, the approval process is quite difficult and most are turned away. Emma and Jane were both approved. Emma moved in the house first with her boyfriend, Simon. Later, Jane moves in and learns that Emma died in the house.

Both Emma and Jane were going through some very troubling issues when they moved into the house and hoped the move would give them the fresh start they want. Emma and Jane were both very interesting characters. I wouldn't say that I ever really liked them but I really became invested in learning what happened to Emma and wondered what would happen to Jane. The other key character in this book, Edward, was similar in that I didn't really like his characters but I couldn't help myself from wondering what he would do next.

The way this book was laid out really worked well. The chapters alternated from Emma and Jane's point of view with Jane spending a lot of energy trying to learn what had happened to Emma. Sometimes the reader would see something happen to Emma just to have it happen to Jane in the next chapter. Instead of feeling redundant, it just added an extra layer to the story. The more that Jane became obsessed with finding out about Emma the more hooked I became. This was a book that was incredibly hard to set aside.

My only complaint about the book is that I am not completely sold on the ending. I do like that the book took a lot of twists and turns that I didn't expect. For some reason the ending felt like a bit of a let down for me. I think that I had expected a bigger scene to help wrap everything up.

I would highly recommend this book to fans of mystery thrillers. This book grabbed my interest from the first page and never let go. I look forward to reading more from J.P. Delaney in the future.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via NetGalley.

As <i>The Girl Before</i> progresses, the reader comes to realize that all of the characters in the novel are hiding something from us, and possibly from themselves. One of them is dead, and it is possible that one of the others killed her, and it is through this fractured landscape that the reader must tread, not being able to rely on what they are being told. Suspenseful and taut.

5 stars for this Fiction Psychological Book! Started out slow but soon surged forward, Sensational story about human trafficking. Story seemed to account more of the mental and physical abuse that takes place, but one can imagine the emotional trauma. Ending is a predictable surprise. Enjoyed very much!

I loved this intriguing story that surrounds a home built by leading international architect Edward Monkford. We have dual POVs from potential tenants Emma and Jane, with Emma’s POV being “then” and Jane’s being “now.” One Folgate Street is not somewhere I would want to live. And it’s not due to the minimalistic aesthetic or the cold and sterile environment – it’s not even the lengthy application process with strange questions that seem more at home in an ethics debate. No, my biggest issue would be the monitoring from the house itself. It collects data for… everything. It learns your preferred water temperature for your showers, your activity levels, your eating habits, etc. All this to improve the future of state of the art housing… and, most importantly, to improve yourself. No thanks. And how about the enigmatic architect himself, the one who judges the applications and tenants? Then there are the mysterious deaths surrounding One Folgate Street. Is the place haunted? Is the owner a murderous brute? Is there a ghost??? What is going on?! I admit I began to suspect the answer to those questions; and even though my suspicious were confirmed, I would not say it was because the book was predictable. The author did a good job keeping me in suspense; and even when the cat was out of the bag, there was still another intriguing reveal.

Needless to say, this book was an absolute page-turner. I read it in one sitting with every chapter increasing my anxiety until the very end. My favorite character was definitely Jane; I related most to her and rooted for her the whole time. I loved the ending as well as the play on the title, which was not what I expected it to be. This is a very captivating tale, and I recommend it not just for mystery and suspense lovers but for anyone who enjoys getting lost in a gripping story. I will definitely be looking forward to more books from this author. I’ve also learned that Ron Howard will be adapting this book to film; and frankly, I love the idea. Books are always better, but I can definitely see this story on the big screen.

Wow, I don’t know where to start or what to say about this one! This is most definitely a psychological thriller with some many twists and turns that you will never know what is about to happen. Just about the time that I thought I knew what was going on with these characters and the plot-BAM!-a new twist that totally changed things in my brain. I am a little undecided about how I feel about this one, but I am still thinking about it which usually means that the writing is very good and something in the story was unique.
The characters are strange, some are disturbed and even the house itself is so integral to the story that you will feel that it is a character in this thriller as well as the actual people. I never really liked Emma because she seemed very unreliable and Jane stirred only feelings of sympathy in me. As for Edward…I could never get a grasp of him. He has some issues but where they enough that he could be a murderer or was he just obsessive? You’ll have to read The Girl Before to find out….

If you like a good psychological thriller where you never know who you can trust then you will enjoy this story. 3/5 stars

My Review:

The Girl Before is the next big psychological thriller to come along that employs the same ingredients that have made other ‘Girl’ books like Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train so immensely popular in recent years. Central to The Girl Before’s plot are the now familiar concepts of the potentially unreliable narrator that keeps you guessing throughout the novel, supplemented by a cast of characters who aren’t especially likable, and a storyline filled with twists and turns and red herrings as the reader is kept guessing as to whether a tragic event is truly an accident or if it is the result of something more sinister.

What I Liked:

The Dual Narrative Perspective: Even though I have some quibbles about a few other elements of The Girl Before, I did love how the story itself was presented. It alternates between two women, Emma and Jane, who, 3 years apart, live in the same unusual residence, One Folgate Street. The story alternates between their points of view as they live in this house. Both Emma and Jane learn that prior to their moving in to One Folgate Place, someone else has tragically died there. Emma and Jane, in turn, each become obsessed with trying to piece together the circumstances of the deaths because there are so many unanswered questions and so much gossip surrounding each death. In many ways, Emma and Jane’s investigations parallel each other, and I LOVED this, mainly because it just built so much suspense into the story and added so many twists and turns as they follow the various leads they have managed to uncover. It also had me practically screaming at both women because they seemed so hell bent on putting themselves in harm’s way just to satisfy a curiosity. It was maddening and yet so entertaining to read.

The Danger of Obsession: This is a theme that runs throughout The Girl Before and it’s a powerful one. Both Emma and Jane become obsessed with trying to solve these mysterious deaths, in spite of the fact that they may be putting themselves in harm’s way.

You might be asking yourself by this point ‘Why are these women both so hung up on these deaths? Don’t they have anything else more pressing to worry about?’ Well, the basic answer is that during their respective stays at One Folgate House, both Emma and Jane become romantically involved with Edward Monkford. That probably wouldn’t be an issue in and of itself; however, in both deaths, Edward’s name came up as a possible suspect so each lady wanted to know what role, if any, their lover played in the deaths and if they themselves are now in danger because of another added twist: Jane and Emma resemble each other, and both of them bear a striking resemblance to Edward’s dead wife. The man clearly has a type and clearly wants that type living in his perfect house. Edward is basically the embodiment of the ‘dangers of obsession’ theme.

One Folgate Street: One Folgate Street is basically Edward Monkford’s pet project and he is extremely selective about who he allows to live in the residence. The application process is rigorous and asks many probing personal questions, and if an applicant makes it through the initial screening process, which apparently very few do, they then still have to submit to an interview with Monkford before there’s any chance of approval. The house itself comes pre-furnished, although minimally so, and if approved, you are allowed to bring very few things of your own with you, and you also must adhere to the over 200 restrictive covenants that Monkford has in place to mandate and facilitate the minimalist lifestyle he expects his residents to adhere to. Eviction will result from the breaking any of those covenants, which include no pets, no children, and no books, among others (No books? Seriously, what kind of freak doesn’t want any books in their house?!)

I personally couldn’t imagine even wanting to go through the application process to live in this house, much less wanting to live the way this guy demands, but I did find the idea fascinating for storytelling purposes because it got me curious as to the type of person who would want to live there as well as the type of person Monkford is clearly looking for to take part in his little experiment.

The house itself is no ordinary house and in some ways it functions as a character in the story as well. It is always referred to by its name, One Folgate Street. It has also been programmed to employ the use of smart technology in the form of a bracelet and some other diagnostics to recognize its inhabitants and basically perform for them accordingly. If the resident steps into the shower, the water will turn on automatically at the preferred temperature, for example, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The house often seems as though it has a mind of its own, which both Emma and Jane occasionally comment on. Periodically throughout the residents’ stay there, the house will basically shut itself down until the resident takes an assessment test and answers more probing questions similar to those in the initial application. Once the test is completed, the resident may continue with life as usual. Emma and Jane each at random times even mention that sometimes they feel like the house is punishing them, especially if they’ve been in a disagreement with Edward. All of that technology in the house adds a creepy Big Brother element to the story. Are they being watched? If so, by whom and why?

Anything I Didn’t Like?

The main thing that somewhat disappointed me about The Girl Before was that I didn’t particularly like any of the characters. As those who follow my reviews know by this point, I really like to be able to connect with the characters I’m reading about and that just didn’t happen for me with Emma or Jane. I just felt like I was only meant to passively observe them in this odd, minimalist habitat rather than truly connect with them in any meaningful way. Maybe that was the author’s intent because of the nature of the story, but that aspect of it didn’t quite work for me.

Speaking of the characters, I also didn’t like the potentially unreliable narrator angle. Not because it wasn’t well done, but just because I’ve seen it in so many books lately. When it started making an appearance here, I actually groaned and said ‘No, not you too. You were doing so well without that.’ I think I’ve just read too many books in this genre in recent years and so what might be a fresh idea for some readers has become a stale one for me.

Who Would I Recommend This Book to?

I’d say if you’re a big fan of books like Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train or are completely new to the psychological thriller genre, you’ll probably love this. I’ve heard that it’s already slated to be made into a movie with Ron Howard directing, so I’ll be curious to see how the movie compares to the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Is it weird that I want to live in this house? Villain was a little 2-dimensional but loved the puzzle box plot construction.

What a great engrossing story! I didn't want to put the book down. I will be recommending this to friends!

1 Folgate Street is no ordinary house, it is cutting edge and won the Stirling Prize. It is an example of extreme minimalism and incorporates the latest home technology. It was originally designed by the techno-architect Edward Monkton as his family home but his wife and son died there which means its now available for others to live. Only there is the slight problem of over 200 conditions that have to be adhered to by whoever lives there. And they have to be interviewed and approved by Monkton personally.

The narrative focuses on Emma from the past, and Jane in the present. Both are troubled women. Emma was held at knife point by burglars and she is struggling to come to terms with this. This event drives her decision to apply to live in the house, despite her boyfriend, Simon's reservations. The conditions for residing there will turn her into a new person with more control, Jane has had a stillborn baby and grieving. This house will be her new start and she just happens to fancy the architect. She is receiving a flower delivery of gentians which she assumes is from the architect until she reads the card....and realises there is more to the house than she thought. Emma died in the house.

A concerned Jane begins to investigate Emma, the girl before to ascertain whether she was murdered, and if so by whom. There are uncomfortable similarities between her and Emma. From both resembling Edward's wife, to having a no strings attached affair with him which runs a similar if not identical course, to both having risque sex. Jane meets the people in Emma's life including Simon, the aggrieved boyfriend, and Carol, the therapist. Meanwhile, the house appears to develop an entity of its own as strange and random things happen. Is the controlling and manipulative Edward a killer? Is Emma a reliable narrator? An air of menace hangs over the house as danger begins to close in around Jane.

The writing is lucid, sparse and beautiful. Pretty much like the house, and there is an air of claustrophobia in the story. This is a house with tragic beginnings and a strong character that is destined to trouble those who live there, you can just feel this. It is a good psychological thriller that keeps you reading without ever losing interest.

This is a fast-paced, dual-timeline thriller. There were a lot of secrets and so many damaged people in this story! The house reminded me of something Christian Grey would build if he was on Black Mirror. The story kept me captivated and was a quick and enjoyable thriller, but it wasn’t shocking or groundbreaking to me. I feel like there was so much more potential for this, but something just fell very short for me. As a doula and someone who works with women, I feel it is very important that warn everyone that this is full of triggers. Infant loss and sexual assault both play a big part in the book.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book tells the story of Jane Cavendish and also of Emma Matthews. The book outlines the lives of both these very different women, Jane in the "Now" and Emma from "Then". Both women at their different times are looking for a new place to live. Both have recently suffered a trauma and end up applying to live at the same apartment in London. This house comes at a very discounted rent price but in exchange they have to agree to the "Rules." These rules include not being able to bring much with them, participating in a sort of experimental data gathering, and no pets, children or any kind of mess. The house is very high-tech and can read your personal preferences from the data that's been collected and stored, such as what temperature you prefer your shower temperature. In fact you can't even get in the front door unless the house knows you or you have a code on your phone to get in. And as both women fall under the spell of the building's architect, their lives parallel each other very closely before veering off in other directions. As both women find themselves being threatened though, they will each have to fight for their lives.
Overall I really liked this book. I didn't want to put it down and I thought that the alternating points of view made the story line really build with tension. I loved how closely the two women's stories coincided at certain points. There were a lot of plot twists in this book, almost too many at some points. I thought this was a good thriller though, with some great options for villains. I loved the technology aspect to this story as well. The house is constantly evolving and growing smarter and learning. It almost seems as if the house brain-washes the individual living in it. It definitely added an additional piece of the story that keeps the reader interested. I have to admit the villain definitely wasn't who I expected it to be, and I thought the author did a great job with the surprise ending. I liked this book a lot and I would definitely recommend.

Emma and Jane are both coming to terms with a recent trauma and in desperate need of change, a clean slate really, when they get the opportunity to rent a beautiful, one-of-a-kind house for a budget price. Of course, they have to pass muster with the very particular owner, and agree to some strange and very limiting rules, but for this house at this price? Why not? And in a strange way, the requirements are kind of refreshing, almost liberating. When Emma moves in with her boyfriend, she has no way of knowing how this house will change her life, and what happens to her will have a ripple effect years later, changing Jane’s life forever as well.

This book is unlike anything I’ve ever read. And I really, really like stories that aren’t some variance on every other book in the genre. I understand there are a number of other readers who had a difficult time suspending disbelief, not finding the overall storyline plausible. Maybe this is where my penchant for sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal stuff impacts my overall consumption of books. Because the thing is, I don’t have a hard time “buying in” if the writing is good. As long as there aren’t any clear conflicts in the details, things that don’t match up or make logical sense, I can accept that anything is possible. And I actually enjoy it when authors push the envelope a bit, as long as it isn’t ridiculous. In this case, I think the overall plot was rather ingenious.

The characters themselves were interesting, if not particularly complex. As Emma’s true nature unraveled, I was surprised, but then…not so much. Edward, well…I can’t say much because I don’t want to give anything away, but while I didn’t like him, I understood. Jane was another beast entirely. It was hard for me to understand why she would tolerate what she did in the relationship.

The ending of the story was really unsatisfying. It went a little further than I thought necessary. Based on the acknowledgments at the end, I understand why the author ended it that way, but I think the point he was trying to make had been made earlier and didn’t need to be reiterated at the end. It took a story that would have been a strong 4 stars/A- to more of a 3.5 stars/B-.