THE GLOBAL BESTSELLER • Soon to be a BBC One and HBO Max limited four-part series, starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw (The Morning Show; Misbehaviour) and multiple Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Emmy-nominated actor David Oyelowo (Selma; Les Misérables) “A pitch-perfect novel of psychological suspense” (Lee Child) that spins one woman’s seemingly good fortune, and another woman’s mysterious fate, through a … woman’s mysterious fate, through a kaleidoscope of duplicity, death, and deception
Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life.
The request seems odd, even intrusive—and for the two women who answer, the consequences are devastating.
EMMA
Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass, and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant—and it does.
JANE
After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street she is instantly drawn to the space—and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home’s previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror, as the girl before.
Praise for The Girl Before
“Dazzling, startling, and above all cunning—a pitch-perfect novel of psychological suspense.”—Lee Child
“The Girl Before generates a fast pace. . . . [J. P.] Delaney intersperses ethics questions on stand-alone pages throughout the book. . . . The single most ingenious touch is that we’re not provided either woman’s answers.”—The New York Times
“J. P. Delaney builds the suspense.”—Vanity Fair
“Immediate guarantee: You will not be able to put this book down. . . . Fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train will realize that there’s not only more where that came from, but it’s also more thrilling.”—American Booksellers Association
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Do not cheat and peek at the end! This book begins so quiet, organized almost sterile much like the house on One Folgate Street. Gradually the pace picks up until it whisks you to the finish with your jaw dropping. You will not see it coming which always makes for a good read. Both Emma and Jane live in One Folgate Street at different times having received acceptance to rent the house. The other characters are shared in the chapters moving from Emma to Jane. JP Delaney nails it with the character building. I dare not say more except it is not to me like Girl on the Train. It is one hundred time better. Suspense writing at it’s very best!
This book combined elements of women’s fiction with suspense to create characters and scenarios I couldn’t stop thinking about. It was definitely unique and I would definitely like to read more by this author.
Great read from beginning to end. The story is told from two different times periods. One is Emma’s story. Emma was attacked in the apartment she shares with her boyfriend and now they are looking for a new apartment but each one they see she does not like until the minimalist’s house and she immediately feels a sense of peace and belonging. The other is Jane’s story. She needs a fresh start after a miscarriage. The two stories intersect when Jane discovers Emma’s story and that they share a strong resemblance to each other. Great read. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.
Well I wouldn’t want to give anything away ; you just wanted to keep reading , Ron Howard is making it into a movie and that was at the back of my mind for the entire read. There were enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
I read this book in one afternoon. It was one of those books where you want to keep reading because you have to know what is happening. The book tells the story of Emma and Jane, both tenants at One Folgate Street, a house that is a minimalist’s and architect’s dream. The house was designed by famed architect Edward Monkton. He still owns the house but rents it out to people he deems worthy. Prospective tenants have to complete a questionnaire, a personal interview, and agree to the 200 rules he imposes. Despite all the restrictions, he manages to find people who want to live there.
This book is a psychological thriller. Between Edward’s increasingly controlling behavior, and what we learn about Emma and Jane’s lives, the reader just doesn’t know what to think. Did Edward kill Emma? Is Jane now in danger from him? Or was someone else to blame? We don’t find out what actually happens until the very end.
I thought this was an enjoyable book. It was fun and easy to read. The chapters were all short and fast paced. I would recommend this book to my friends who are looking for a nice escapist read.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is a unique story about a unique situation, beginning with a fabulous apartment that comes with a boatload of strings. Characters throw up red flags at every turn including, surprisingly, one of the victims. I could not put this book down.
This is my first book by Delaney, and it was a real treat. Moving this story along by telling two stories (past and present) at the same time is unique, refreshing, and very creative. Since the stories parallel, the reader is stuck, on the edge of the seat, craving the conclusion. Emma and Jane are well-developed characters. Sorting through Emma’s twisted lies, and following Jane’s learning progress makes the story interesting and thrilling.
The setting in The Girl Before may be questionable and wholeheartedly ridiculous, but it created a very interesting backdrop to an equally interesting relationship dynamic between the female lead: Jane and her OCD/controlling landlord, along with the mystery of what happened to the girl before: Emma. Both of these women share alternating POV’s which allows the reader some insight into the characters and various other elements within the story. The Girl Before has mixed reviews and I can see why. There are components that will be eye-roll worthy for some but intriguing for others…for me it was a tiny bit of both, but more of the latter. I appreciated J.P. Delaney’s attention to detail when it came to developing Jane’s and Emma’s characters, although it was difficult at times to remember who’s perspective I was reading. Overall, I liked this psychological thriller and am interested to seeing how it will be adapted to film. Like I said, the reviews are mixed so read a few from both sides and see if this one is right for you.
My favorite quote:
“You can make your surroundings as polished and empty as you’d like but it doesn’t really matter if you’re still messed up inside.”
The Girl Before hooked me within the first few pages and didn’t let go until the end. It had such a unique premise and I loved the way the story was told from two points of view with a then/now type of timeline. Each time I’d think I had the story figured out, another twist would be thrown in. It kept me guessing until the end. A definite must read for those who enjoy psychological thrillers.
Charismatic and charming – two words that should set alarm bells ringing in anyone contemplating any kind of relationship with a charismatic charmer.
When Emma and her boyfriend Simon are offered the chance to live in a gorgeous London house designed and built by Edward Monkford, a famous, award-wnning architect, they jump at the chance. The rent is ridiculously reasonable and, although the terms of the tenancy seem somewhat stringent and unusual, Emma and Simon sign on the dotted line and take up residence. At first, all goes well. But then Emma starts to act strangely. Simon moves out. Edward and Emma begin a sexual relationship that seems to be the opposite of a loving one, and Emma – well, something happens to Emma that means the gorgeous house is soon on the rental market again.
Jane is the next tenant of One Folgate Street. At first, she loves it. But then she too starts to realise Edward intends to be more than just her landlord. What happened to Emma? Jane investigates and what she discovers is terrifying. What seemed like an opportunity to live in an ideal home now looks as if it’s an opportunity to live in a death trap.
Who is the bad guy here – Edward or Emma’s rejected boyfriend Simon? Why are Emma and Jane both so attracted to Edward? Who will be the next tenant of One Folgate Street and how long will he or she want to live there?
Loved this book so much! A fast, gripping read with a stellar plot line and twists at every corner. The setting of the house where Emma (in the past) and Jane (in the present) live is vivid and real, the novel dark but alive with emotion. You’ll be guessing until the end ‘whodunnit’.
This is my first time reading a book by this author. I have to say that more than once my mouth actually fell open with the things going on in this story. The Girl Before follows the tale of two women, Emma and Jane who have both lived in a particular house during different times at some point. Told in an alternating fashion between the two women, I felt that the story and suspense built up nicely to downright gripping, where I had to keep reading to see how it was going to turn out. I thought the house rules that the occupants were interesting, and how far the rules went at times but my favorite part of this book was how the author weaved in psychological questions throughout the book meant for the reader(or at least that’s how I took it)! I felt this was extremely clever given the atmosphere of the book and it fell right in with the story. There were quite a few twists and turns as the book moved towards the end, some that made me kind of smack my forehead in disbelief. You will get pulled in by this story and feel for both characters. I have already added the other books by JP Delaney to my reading list and I recommend that you do the same.
mix a wee bit of “50 shades of grey”, a house from the future, and throw in bits and pieces of “criminal mind” and you’ve got a really good read on your hands, not to mention the questions peppered throughout that make you stop and ponder.
OMG- this kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end- well thought out, nicely researched and crafted into a thriller par excellence. I can;t wait for the next book ….
The Girl Before has garnered a lot of buzz because of its Gone Girl comparisons and the very unreliable characters, and for good reason! I couldn’t put this book down as I read — I always wanted to know more. This psychological thriller follows Emma and Jane, two women moving into the same house at different times.
The house is built by a crazy eccentric architect, and you don’t just move into the house, you have to follow the rules of the house. The plot moves along at a great pace, the uneasy atmosphere will keep you guessing, and the house itself acts like a character throughout the book.
If you like thrillers or any form of “haunted” house, The Girl Before is definitely worth your while!
Very well written, easy read. Thoroughly keeps your interest with an intriguing storyline. Keeps you guessing…
Excellent book. I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend
Set in London and told in alternating points of view and time periods, this novel hooked me from the start. Years apart, two women who look alike rent a modern, minimalist house that comes with many odd, restrictive conditions. Each suffered a recent loss and hopes the clean, stark space will improve their lives. The psychological thriller takes surprising turns and is well worth the read if you like a good mystery.
A compulsive dual-timeline read about a mysterious, controlling house, the man who built it, and the women he allows to live inside.
Riveting and exciting from start to finish. The man she fell in love with is not who he ends up being.