Different and creepy - I really liked the two women's stories happening in parallel. The story took a direction I wasn't entirely expecting and the ending was very satisfying. A compelling read. Really enjoyed it.

Another “Girl” book with promises of Gone Girl that I just couldn’t help but read!
The Girl Before is a book told in alternating chapters between Emma (in the past) and Jane (the present). Both are young women who have suffered a tragedy – one a burglary at knife point and possible sex attack, the other a recent stillbirth – and both are looking for somewhere new, secure and safe to live in London on a budget. Shown a smart home of the future designed by architect Edward Monkford that’s minimalist to the extreme and comes with a set of restricting rules longer than your arm (right from no pets to no pictures on the walls and no books), they jump at the chance but first need to pass the landlord’s test – a psycho-analysis style questionnaire to question their morality and a face to face interview.
From the very beginning, we know that “the girl before” died in the house, and Jane, the current tenant, sets out to find out just how it happened in case she suffers the same fate.
This was a really good read that kept you guessing – I thought I’d figured something out but turned out to be wrong, and I love when a book proves me wrong! The idea of the house itself was fascinating and I thought the characters were brilliant, plus the storyline on top of it was gripping too. With the Gone Girl parallels being drawn already, it’s bound to do well in 2017 but it deserves to stand on its on feet too. Plus they’ve already got movie rights for it, so keep an eye out!

Update at the end - having since read the whole book!

I feel my review will be heavily influenced by the ‘sample’ that I read. I was kindly given a ‘sample’ of the book via NetGalley, it was clearly pointed out that it would be a sample and not the whole book so I can not claim to have been short changed. Having read the ‘snippet’ I feel as I have been played by the marketing department. I read a few chapters – then when the first big ‘hang on’ moment comes along, the ‘sample’ ends – presumably I am meant to rush out and get the rest of the book. But I can’t as it has not been published yet – and I am not sure that by the time it becomes available I will still have any ounce of curiousity left.

Anyway rant against marketing over! How do I feel about the book?

Well it ticks all of the boxes that publishers must be looking for – female protaganist, split ‘then and now’ timeframe, strange men/technology/houses, the word 'girl' in the title – and presumably some great twists (however as you know from before I can’t comment on them).

As I can’t rave about the story I can only focus on the prose which frankly is pretty basic. It does seem to follow the downward trajectory started by ‘Gone Girl’ which was well written to ‘Girl on a Train’ which was enjoyable if a little Sixth Former-ish. Weirdly the author seems to have dispensed with speech marks for the ‘Then’ part of the story, anyone got any idea why this should be? Again I can see what the publishers are after; a page turner, easy reading with not too many taxing words – and on this front ‘The Girl Before’ delivers.

Update!!!
I have now read the whole book and it is better than I expected. I was gripped and wanted to know what happened. My reservations about the title stand - surely the reading public can be convinced to read a book that does not contain the word 'girl'? But if you are after an easy thriller this book will do it for you.