As the mother of two teen daughters, this was a little difficult for me to read, but Heather Gudenkauf is one of favorite authors and I’ve read all of her books and this book was as riveting and well written as I expected. It was a fast read because I NEEDED to know what happened. I’ve always had a difficult time reading books where something bad happens to a child that is around my children’s ages because I picture my children in those situations. However, this book was about bullying, which is an issue that I feel is an important issue that needs to be addressed in more adult books. My older daughter was bullied about two years ago by someone she thought was a friend, mostly through text messages. Thankfully, I had borrowed my daughter’s phone and happened to see the texts and we talked about how that is not how friends treat each other; about toxic people and relationships and things we can do to take care of ourselves. The story in this book was a lot more tragic.


Two 12 year old girls are sleeping over a friend’s house, when the three girls decide to steal out to go to an abandoned lot on the edge of town. Later that night, one of the girls is found clinging to life and the other two are missing. There are many suspects in this small rural town, this book is told from several different characters’ perspectives, as well as through one of the girl’s diary entries and police records. It is absolutely gripping and will keep you up way past your bedtime because, face it, when it comes to books about kids, we all have to know what the hell happened.

Wow, just wow, Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf, is a ​spectacular thriller! The story of three young girls, Violet, Cora and Jordyn, along with their families living through many twists and turns all centering on cyber bullying is a nonstop ride. Your emotions sway between empathy, nervousness, compassion and disbelief; with all the twists, turns and multiple suspects I felt like I was in a race to get to the end - who, what and when. This is the quite the story and I totally recommend it, it was very good and I loved it, This is an amazing line in the story, "Parents can be pretty clueless:. Sure makes you want to read it, right? Thank you #NetGalley #BeforeSheWasFound # HeatherGudenkauf #ParkRow

This was an exciting triller that I will not soon forget. Had some difficulty falling asleep having read it. The writer depicts some super stressful situations that have a significant impact on the lives of the characters. I highly recommend this amazing book.

Three young girls , one bloody , one almost dead and the other left the scene ! Wow ! This was one wild ride ! This is a mesmerizing thriller with a clever plot that is chilling , horror tinged , creepy and disturbing ! Brilliant ! An absolute must read ! Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Park Row for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review ! #Netgalley
#HarlequinParkRow #BeforeSheWasFound

Before She was Found by Heather Gudenkauf was a riveting, creepy tale of three friends, a vicious attack, and a tragic case of bullying, all fueled by a ghost story. It was eerily mysterious and equally horrifying and heartbreaking as we follow young Cora’s attack the night of a slumber party, and the chaos that ensues from the pressure of trying to fit in and finding one’s self-worth amongst peers. The result was catastrophic for many, with long-reaching consequences. The story also offers a look into the private lives of families, flaws and all, and how they interact and handle crises of varying degrees.
I must admit, I could not put this disturbing novel down, driven to find out what caused all this destruction and how things would resolve. Sadly, the ending was a bit of a disappointment for me. It did contain an unexpected twist, but for me it felt slightly lackluster and melancholic. Despite that, the story was definitely a gripping one and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to @netgalley and @parkrow for the free copy of this book for an honest review.

WOW! This was mind-blowing good!

I have always enjoyed Heather Gudenkauf's books but boy did she knock this one out of the park ladies and gents! This exceeded my expectations in every way!

An attempted murder case, three twelve year old girls, one covered full of blood, one on the verge of dying, and another that left the scene. Talk about addicting and thrilling!

I was totally gripped in and mesmerized by Gudenkauf's words from the start. She lays out the characters with such depth and the story takes off from the first scene!

There was SOO many things running through my brain about what was going on with this mystery. And man.... Heather did you fool me girl! Wow... you got me ;). THIS WAS FANTASTIC!

You don't want to miss this book people PERIOD! I highly recommend for my mystery and thriller fans!

5 stars! Yup... people read em and weap! I'm giving this my FULL five stars.... which many of you that watch my reviews know this RARELY occurs. So hurry up get your hands on this.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin/Trade Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date: 4/16/19
Published to Goodreads: 3/10/19

WOW! This could be a real life story that you see played out on Facebook. But that's sort of the point...
Three 12yr old girls decide to investigate a local "legend" they have heard about at school. They have a sleepover where they sneak out to see if they can find out if the legend is true. Later when the girls are found, it looks as if the legend is very true, but the girls aren't talking...or at least not talking to the adults. Heather Gudenkauf uses the whole cast of characters to tell this story. The differing points of view and how the characters share their information is pretty unique. The reader has trouble selecting just one villain for this crime. The ending will find you turning back pages to see if you missed the clues.

Three twelve year old girls - Cora, Violet and Jordyn - are having a sleepover and decide to sneak out and explore an old train depot in town. Their curiosity pushing them investigate a long held local urban legend. One girl is found unharmed and safe at home, one is found almost beat to death and the last girl is found at the scene of the crime, covered in blood. It’s up to the police to unravel the mystery of what happened that night as none of the girls are reliable in their stories or they simply aren’t talking at all.

This thriller starts out at a sprint and continues at a good clip to the very end. There was a very ominous and creepy vibe to this story from the very beginning and I liked that there was an urban legend at the center of the plot. I remember being twelve and I remember my friends and I convincing ourselves to be completely freaked out by something like this (even though we really did know better). Not to mention, I grew up in a small town and I remember that sneaking out of the house was a standard sleepover activity. All of that was very well done and believable. The girls, being twelve years old, were presented accurately.

My problem with this novel begins and ends with the police investigation. I felt very left out of the details of the investigation and the details I was privy to made the police seem incredibly inept. The ineptitude felt so contrived. I just couldn’t suspend my disbelief.

I didn’t love this book, though it’s far from the worst thriller I’ve ever read. I did like it though not as much other novels written by Heather Gudenkauf.

ARC provided by NetGalley, thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Wow! Heather Gudebkauf never disappoints, but how she ever even came up with this idea is beyond amazing. This is definitely a must read for 2019. Gudenkauf will hook you straight from the beginning and she will pull you through one wild ride, with so many possibly suspects that you never truly know who you think could have hurt Cora on the tracks that day. Almost everyone could have done it, but why? One minute, you're convinced it could have been this person and then before you know it, it could easily have been this one. And by the end, you realize where she got you at and how you didn't see this coming as the attacker. I sped through this book in less than a day because it's one that you can't possibly put down. You need to know who hurt Cora on the tracks and why. A bit of urban legend, a bit of horror, a bit of a drama, Gudenkauf plays it all!

A Great Read

Intriguing story of three young schoolgirls in a Midwest town. They come from different backgrounds but bond.
Cora invites her two friends for a sleepover but they plan to sneak out and visit the train yards. This is sparked by a school project they were working on about an urban legend who had terrorized their town years earlier.

The visit to the train yards ends in tragedy when Cora is found near death. This is a spill-binding novel where the story is told from the perspective of several people. This is a bit disconcerting at first but soon the reader in.

There are many twists and turns and, unlike in some novels, you are kept guessing until the reveal at the end.
This is the first novel I have read by this author. I recommend it and will look for more from her as her career progresses.

My copy of this novel was provided as an ARC by the publisher via Net Galley

Another amazing thriller by Heather Gudenkauf!

Before She Was Found is set in small-town Iowa as are most of Gudenkauf’s books. I love this since I am a Midwest girl and I really can see the setting. In Before She Was Found, three girls have a sleep-over and the end result is one child, Cora is seriously injured. The girls have a turbulent relationship at times. You have Jordyn who is the leader of the group and lives with her grandparents. Next, we have, Violet, the new girl in town, artist and living on the wrong side of town. Lastly, you have Cora, from the perfect family, with a strong desire to have a friend and be liked.

These girls do a school project about a local legendary murderer and kidnapper. I love how the author use varies sources of info. You learn clues through the girl’s various texts, email and journal entries. The girls sneak out at the sleepover to meet/find this murderer/kidnapper they have become obsessed with. All goes wrong at the railroad yard leaving Cora seriously injured.

Who hurt Cora?? I felt the suspense was consistent and kept me reading. There were various plot twists that had me suspecting various people. The conclusion was not what I thought it would be – PLOT TWIST. I enjoyed this book and would recommend to friends.

Cora, Jordyn, and Violet are school friends. They are 12 years old. They do a social studies project on the town's urban legend on Joseph Wither. Legend has it that he kidnapped and maybe murdered girls for years. The girls are on again off again friends. Cora is just happy to have friends as she is bullied and very shy and introverted. Jordyn lives with her grandparents and gets into a little bit of trouble at school. Violet just moved to town with her Mom and brother. The girls decide to have a sleepover and go to the train depot to find Joseph Wither. This is a very bad idea. One girl is brutally attacked, one is left in shock, and one is nowhere to be found. None of the girls are talking about what happened. The police are trying to figure out what happened and the reader is taken on quite a wild ride. The characters are so real, I could feel what each of the girls and their families are feeling. The descriptions are vivid and you are there in the train depot with the girls. This book kept me glued to my seat while reading as I just couldn't put it down. A definite must read! I received an advance readers copy from NetGalley and Harlequin Park Row. All opinions are my own.

OMG, Heather Gudenkauf is my new favorite author!!! This is the first book I read from her and thought it was absolutely amazing. This book reminded me of the Slender Man case with a wild twist at the end. The author did such a great job that you had no clue what was coming next or who was to blame. Every character in the book had a specific role on how the book was go to end. I would definitely recommend this book and give it 5 Stars.

Wow! This book took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions! Three twelve year old girls are researching an urban legend. They go to the train yard where one girl is brutally attacked. This is a story of friendship, bullying and the need to belong and yet encompasses so much more. I knew these girls. I felt what they felt. I especially related to Cora. This book is all consuming and you won't be able to put it down. With deeply complex characters, this is a book that will stay with you. Well written and with exquisite twists that kept me turning the pages. The ending totally caught me off guard and left me saying, "What!!". Absolutely mind blowing! Grab this book!! If you love psychological suspense you will love this book!

I have read all of Heather Gudenkauf's books.
I was thrilled with all of them, she is a top author for me.
I was excited to read this book.

The first paragraph I was holding my breath.

The descriptions of bullying made me recollect school memories.
I could feel the taunts, the teasing, and the hurt.
12 year old girls trying to act more grownup, trying to be cool., and be more adult.

At a sleepover together, they decide to play a game, a joke.
It goes in another direction.

This book is a good portrayal of the effects of Social Media on preteens and young adults.
I believe all parents should read this and think or reflect on it.
When you close this book, you will want more.

Wow! Heather Greenland did it again! Another fantastic book that I couldn't put down. A thrilling book about three preteen girls that sneak out one night to go to an abandoned train yard. Who really seriously injured one and why aren't the other girls saying what happened? A school assignment about urban legends brings these three girls together. One is a bully, one is a new girl and one is trying desperately to fit in. This book shows how easily influenced children can be by social media and how susceptible they are to their peers. It keeps you guessing about what really happened at the train yard and who or what was actually responsible.

Before She Was Found is another excellent book by Heather Gudenkauf. This one is the story of young girls, Cora, Violet, and Jordyn, and a night that things went awry. Sneaking away to a rail yard during a sleepover results in Cora injured, bloody, and clinging to life, with her friends missing. Once the two girls are found and authorities, medical personnel, and family try to piece together what happened, they will all be in for a shocking revelation.

This is an edge of your seat thriller that will have you worrying over what happened to these three young girls. It is a compelling book with a great storyline and interesting characters. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

She is one of my favorite authors. This book is full of suspense. I was a little worried that one of the kids was evil. I wasn’t sure how it was going to end.

Twelve-year-old Cora Landry has started her first year of middle school. She invites her best friend Violet Crow and frenemy Jordyn Petit to her house for a sleepover. However, the girls have plans to sneak out at night without Cora’s parents knowing to explore the town’s abandoned rail yard. Each of the girls have their own reasons for wanting to venture out to the rail yard, but the adventure almost turns deadly when Cora is found on the railroad tracks, bleeding and close to death. The local police launch an investigation and find more suspects than they would have imagined in this terrible tragedy.

This story set in a small town in Iowa, is told in short chapters from many different points of view and formats. The technique works well and makes for a fast-paced story that was also easy to follow. Most of the story is told through Cora’s journal entries, text messages, and chat room posts, as well as narratives from the point-of-view of Violet’s mother, Jordyn’s grandfather, and a psychiatrist assigned to the case. It took me a couple of chapters to get used to the format and once I did, I became fully immersed in the story and didn’t want to put it down. All of the characters are flawed and plenty of people acting suspiciously, which provides plenty of suspects for what ends up happening to Cora. It was hard to know who to root for, but I couldn’t wait to find out what had really occurred. When the truth finally comes out, many people will be forever changed by these events.

In an afterward, the author says the story was inspired by the “Slender Man” character and also various accounts of online bullying. The result is a suspenseful, entertaining story that is scary because of its realism. The ending is haunting and the subject matter of the book will remain with you long after you finish the book. The book has a blurb by the author of “Reconstructing Amelia” on the cover and I do think those who enjoyed that book will like “Before She Was Found.”

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of the publisher. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Heather has given us another intense gripping story that is so relevant to our current culture. Just when you think you have it figured out, another twist is thrown into the mix. I enjoyed the ride!