Oh what a belter this book was! I can’t believe that I haven’t read Laura Wolfe before. As soon as I began reading, I could cut the tension with a knife, a tension which didn’t ease off until the end. I was completely hooked on this story before I had even finished the prologue. As psychological thrillers go this is one of the best I’ve read so far this year.

The characters were so deep and well developed, making them credible, realistic, even if there were a few I could not relate to. But that’s just because I didn’t like them. I’m not sure you will either. Rachel is dealing with a life changing move from the suburbs into the city of Chicago with her daughter Lily. I couldn’t help feeling protective over them both but, being a father, especially Lily. Rachel was full of self doubt as the creepiness around the apartment progressed and didn’t know if she was trusting the right people or putting herself and Lily in danger.

Overall, this was a great read, which I consumed in just one session, and can’t recommend enough to all readers of psychological thrillers. I gave The Girl Before Me, by Laura Wolfe, five stars, and now I’m off to find her other books.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Rachel leaves her abusive husband and starts a new life with her daughter in an apartment in a different city. Things start getting strange when she received a letter addressed to "Annie", the previous person who lived in her apartment and disappeared with no one seeing her. Rachel falls in love with Alex, the guy next door. She is woken up to strange noises in her apartment at night and people in the building are telling different stories about Annie. She is unsure who to believe. There are many twists which makes the book really good but I thought the ending was abrupt.

It's the old adage that "if it's too good to be true it usually is". This would be the warning for the young woman in our story who has fled an abusive husband and found a perfect apartment for just her and her daughter. Then strange happenings occur. And what about the woman who lived there before? Who was Annie and what happened to her?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

I didn't go in with high hopes but wow it really impressed me. Found it hard to put down. Something about it reminded me of something, a tv show perhaps. It had it's problems but over all, I loved the setting and atmosphere..

Alot of characters but over all strong and easy to remember and distinguish between. Definitely well written

Anyone else get creeped out when moving into a new place? Hearing the echoes of past lives - the love, footsteps, shouting, laughter.
A single mom moves her and her young daughter into a new apartment. Rachel and Lily meet their neighbors- all their thoughts circling through the building.
A note arrives for the previous tenant - a warning Annie wasn't safe. The neighbors shrug it off. But Rachel is worried- are they safe?
Lots of great characters and suspense.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Girl Before Me' by Laura Wolfe.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Laura Wolfe, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 29th April 2022.

This is the third book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'Her Best Friend's Lie' and 'We Live Next Door' which I highly recommend.


I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'A totally unputdownable gripping thriller, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena and Gillian Flynn.' I am a huge fan of all three of these authors so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Laura and if this is half as good as 'Her Best Friend's Lie' and 'We Live Next Door' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 38 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Chigaco, USA 🇺🇸.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Rachel Gleason. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

'The Girl Before Me' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Laura discusses/includes

OMG!!! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!! WHAT HAVE I JUST READ!?!?!? Laura Wolfe you are a writing legend!!!

This book is fantastically written with vivid descriptions that absolutely grip the readers attention and puts them right in the middle of it all feeling the hair raise on your arms and feeling the sweat run down your back.

Another huge success by Laura!!! This book has got to be the most heart racing books I've read in a long time!!! It had be hook, line and sinker from the first page and I could not put it down!!! Every time I said one more chapter it ended on a cliffhanger and I just had to know what was going on!!! If you are going to read this then clear your day because it is truly unputdownable. I started this yesterday afternoon and finished it at approx 2am, read it in one sitting and although I'm knackered today it was 1000000% worth it!!! I loved that you got to meet so many of the neighbours/residents in Rachel's apartment and that there was such a a mix of personalities and so many suspects!!! It keeps you constantly guessing who did what!! It really does make you think how life can change so quickly and different decisions can change a life. It also makes you think how looks can be deceiving. It is filled with friendship, romance, lies, secrets, twists, turns and everything you could want from a psychological thriller along with some MASSIVE BOMBSHELLS which will leave you absolutely shocked!!! I for one was NOT expecting that at all!!! I also loved how the book ended. This book would make a fantastic movie!!

As previously mentioned there is such a large mix of characters which makes it a realistic residential setting. All the characters were strong and realistic as well as hiding their own secrets. I really liked Rachel from the start and along with her daughter Lily who was adorable , all the characters were realistic, well developed and had strong characteristics and personalities. I did absolutely NOT expect that humongous bombshell at all. What an absolute twist!!! I can hand on my heart say that I cannot remember when I was so gobsmacked by a book twist but Laura you have done just that!!! This book is rammed with suspense and tension and will keep you biting your nails, on the edge of your seat with your heart pounding while your flipping the pages because you just cant stop.

If you read one book on your life, make sure it is this!!!! I would love to see this turned into a movie and Laura I really hope you are working on your next psychological thriller at this moment because this book will go far!!! A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS on what promises to be a MASSIVE success!!!

Overall an absolutely heart racing, nail biting, unputdownable psychological thriller with a bomb shell you will not see coming!!!


Genres covered in this novel include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, and Psychological Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'The Couple Next Door' ,'The Woman in the Window', 'Behind Closed Doors', Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena, Gillian Flynn and ANYONE AND EVERYONE LOOKING FOR AN EXPLOSIVE READ!!!

323 pages.

This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited (at time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Lilly and her mother moved into another apartment to start a new beginning. Soon as they settle a letter arrives for someone named Annie. The neighbors told her to ignore the letter but Lilly mom decides to open and read it, the letter said that Annie is not safe. Now Lilly mom thinks they are being watched. Who could be possibly watching them?
Quick read, really liked this book, was suspenseful.
Thanks to bookouture, netgalley, and the author in exchange for review.
Published April 29th, 2022.

Tense, psychological drama about a woman trying to move on from an abusive marriage and acrimonious divorce. Rachel and her daughter, Lily, move into a Lincoln Park apartment building, complete with a cast of characters with their own curious stories.
Shortly after moving into the apartment, Rachel receives mail addressed to the woman who used to live in the apartment from the woman's sister, begging her to leave as she was in danger. Unable to put the letter out of her mind, she starts questioning the woman's disappearance, looking at all her new neighbors as suspects and unable to trust anyone around her.
This was a slow burn for me. It had a lot of twists I didn't see coming, which was great. Unfortunately, it just fell a little flat for me. Although the end wasn't predictable, it just took so long to get there and by that time, I was ready for the book to end.

Thank you Laura Wolfe, and NetGalley, for the ARC!

BOOKWORMS REVIEW:
A great 'whodunnit' that will keep you up far too late! Well,it did me anyway.
Jessica & Mark have bought her family home from her mum whos now living in a condo. Settling into her old neighbourhood alot of the old neighbours are still there,including Barbara. While Barbaras not liked very much,it's a shock when she turns up dead,from an apparent accidental fall. The neighbourhood App that everyone's involved in has plenty to say on it and everything else in the neighbourhood.
Jessica decides to find out what really happened to Barbara. Like her life didn't already have enough drama in it,its about to get worse. This book was intense,engaging,and made me thankful my neighbours are awesome! With thanks to Laura Wolfe,netgalley and Bookouture for an ARC to read and review.

BOOKWORMS RATING: 📕 📕 📕 📕

Rachel and Lily are starting over. After Rachel’s tumultuous Divorce, she decides to move with her Daughter Lily to the city. Everything seems to fall into place - Rachel finds the perfect Apartment in a beautiful building after the previous tenant skips town, Lily is awarded a scholarship at a prestigious school just a couple blocks away, and they make fast friends with a few new neighbors quickly after moving in. But Rachel quickly realizes everything isn’t what it seems and there might be more to the previous Tenant, Annie’s, quick exit.

The Girl Before Me was everything a psychological thriller should be! I loved the characters, each and every one of them. I loved the setting, I loved the storyline. I loved the way the author writes and how the book didn't alternate narrators or timelines. It was suspenseful, it was exciting and even when you think the plot twists are over you get hit with another one.

I was up all night reading this because I literally couldn’t put it down. This was my first read by Laura Wolfe and it certainly won’t be my last!!

This was a great thriller! I suspected everyone at some point or another and for most of the book I really thought I knew exactly what happened to Annie and who the murderer was, but I was totally shocked by the plot twist at the end.

This book reminded me of the tv show "Only Murderers in the Building." It's not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. Interesting concept. The characters are good. It was a little slow for me at times but I loved the ending.

Rachel feels like she’s being watched and she gets a letter for the previous tenant, where she lives. This book keeps you on your toes and I enjoyed this thriller. I look forward to reading more from this author! Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC

Thank you Net Galley for the review novel The Girl Before Me by Laura Wolfe. This one I loved. Rachel and her daughter Lily move into an apartment where the girl before went missing. So many twists and turns in this book.

I really enjoyed this book! I Loved the whole plot line of the suburban mom moved the city after a abusive marriage, I feel like i read a lot of suburban drama so the city story line was a nice fresh take to me and i liked it! Rachel was the main character in this novel, and i really liked her she had such strength and determination after leaving her abusive husband and mother behind. She was such a great mother too, like one of the best ones i have read about lately! she loved her daughter lily so much and was so protective and cautious of her no matter what. Alex was her next door neighbour/love interest in this story and i really didn't know what to think of him. He gave me red flags through most of it, and just this vibe like something was a little off. The other characters where not really likeable in this story either, like you wanted to like them but everyone just felt a little iffy, which i think made the slower burn of this novel work well. the thriller twist in the end was really good and i had a little bit of a guess of what it was at one point but it was not my main guess of what was going to happen! The mystery of Annie was also really good add to the story line because it kept you reading to find out!she added little hidden clues thrown into the main story line. I devoured this book in pretty much 24 hours and if your looking for a mom getting back her power and taking control of her life mixed with city vibes, mystery and a thriller all into one than you wont be disappointed. Thank you net gally for a copy of this book for a review!

Thank you @netgalley and Laura Wolfe for the ARC of this book.

From the very first chapter I was HOOKED. It was filled with suspense and I just felt myself get creeped out multiple times.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was so well written and addictive!

Unputdownable, What a page turner! I recommend this book for anyone looking for an easy read full of suspense. Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.

A new home, away from danger
An apartment, but something is stranger
What happened to Annie who used to live here?
Where did she go and why did she disappear?

Away from her abusive ex should be a fresh start
For her and her daughter but there's unease in her heart.
Can she trust her new neighbours now
Or should she doubt them all somehow?

This psychological thriller is a fascinating, enthralling read
Filled with suspense and twists you don't perceive
Can they keep safe in this new town
Or is moving there going to get them down?

I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping book
And highly recommend you give it a look.
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
An intriguing read and this is my honest review.

Liked the plot of this one. Like 'The Paris Apartment ' this too is based on an apartment building and is a story of a missing woman.
After her divorce from her abusive husband, Rachel moves to the city with her daughter Lily. She considers herself lucky to have found an ideal apartment near to Lily's school, where Lily has got a scholarship.
Rachel meets her new neighbours, all who seems friendly bar one person on her floor. She gets to know the previous tenant in her apartment had just disappeared without a trace. Inspite of her own problems, Rachel tries to find out what may have happened to her.

The story is well written that I wanted to savour everything I read at the same time was also curious to know what eventually happened.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC

With an ominous prologue this slow burn thriller got off to a great start. It amplified that the one place we should feel safe can be anything but that when we don’t know who we are sharing our space with.

We then get to meet Rachel and her daughter Lily who are moving in to their new apartment block after divorcing husband Keith and serving him with a court order. Just as they are settling in and finally feeling safe with their fresh start a letter arrives and with it a mystery, the sudden disappearance of Annie the previous tenant. With the neighbours keeping schtum you just know there’s more to this than they are letting on. Giving the reader plenty of suspects, not only in regards to Annie but to Rachel no longer feeling safe.

I hate that lone women are often portrayed as vulnerable but unfortunately it’s a true and sad fact. Trying to fit in to a new community we often open up too much and let the wrong people in to our lives. This is definitely the case with Rachel and it leads to her becoming increasingly paranoid.

Taking it upon herself to find answers this then changed direction. You know the classic films like Village of the damned or The Stepford Wives where evil lurks beneath the surface but everyone is still pretending that life is just peachy and perfect. It had those sinister undertones. My only niggle is some of her decision making and the speed of her new relationship considering the marriage she had just got out of.

With some nice twists and a satisfying conclusion this is a creepy little thriller that will make you check your door is locked.