Initially, this book really dragged for me and I didn’t love the tense/writing style. I felt confused by the timeline and the vagueness and didn’t connect with the characters. Then probably 40% through, it REALLY picked up and I was totally hooked.
This book is heartbreaking, haunting, and intense. I found myself literally gasping and tearing up and mentally shouting at -Ruby specifically- during certain points.
I feel like it’s SO important for women especially to read. It’s a book about two women who struggle to find themselves and their place in this world and acquire the confidence to thrive. It’s a really hard read with a beautiful message.
Power through the beginning to get to the meat of this one.
Major TW: rape, child abuse, & suicide

Definitely unlike any book I’ve ever read, this story is told from the perspective of a murdered young woman. The writing is intriguing and keeps you going.

I really enjoyed this slow-burning who-dun-it debut! The writing was beautiful and was a mix of mystery/coming of age. The writing was touching and did a great job at describing a tragic death of a Jane Doe. The plot was moving, thought provoking, and made you think about life and your choices you make.

If you are looking for a change of pace (slow-burner) from a new author, this would be a great choice.

***** Many thanks to Atria Books, Jacqueline Bublitz, and NetGalley for the #gifted copy as it was provided to me in turn for my honest opinion.

Due to it being a slow-burn, I am giving it 3.5 stars but rounding up to 4 stars on Goodreads.

Will post to Instagram (thriller_book_sisters) on 10/19/22.

I enjoyed this one, but it is definitely a slow burn and it is VERY deep. It’s beautifully written, with some heavy content. It’s told from the perspective of the girl that is murdered at the start of the story

This was an ARC from NetGalley and S&S..
A slow burn of a mystery. 4 stars. I may have went 5 if not for the wordiness, although that wordiness was beautifully written. Very real women's issues. I highly recommend this book.

Two women happen to arrive in New York City within minutes of each other with hopes of starting new lives. Both are running from bad relationships and, unbeknownst to them, will live only a few streets apart, and soon be connected in a way neither would think possible.

Alice Lee, 18, arrives on a bus from Wisconsin. Ruby, 36, comes from Melbourne for a 6 month break to rethink her life. They are totally different in temperment; Alice, exuberantly and immediately begins exploring NYC, and is excited by everything about it. Ruby doesn't leave her room for the first week, still trying to hang on to the relationship which caused her to come to NYC. She feels like life has stopped happening to her, is extremely lonely, and doesn't know how to get her life started again.

Within a month, Alice will be murdered, and Ruby will be the one who discovers her body. With Alice poignantly narrating her story from the dead, she is convinced Ruby will be the key to making sure people know who the latest "Jane Doe" is, and help give a perspective and meaning to her too-short life. Ruby is haunted by the experience of discovering a body and joins a support group for people who have been traumatized by death in some way.

The author deals well with the subject of abused, misused, and manipulated women, and society's tendency to not only blame the victim but to forget about them, giving coverage to the abuser instead. She repeatedly makes the point that harm done to a woman doesn't only affect that woman, but rather creates ripples upon ripples ultimately affecting a great many people. The book is about women taking their power back, and helping other women do the same thing.

A memorable story and a good read.

My thanks to Atria for allowing me to access and ARC via NetGalley. The book is scheduled for publication 11/1/22. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

Thank you Atria for the ebook copy of Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz, this is a captivating read with such a well developed focus on women's lives, harm against women, and the desire for the forgotten to be seen. This book is to be appreciated for the unique narrative and also for the author's fairly unflinching writing, for asking the reader to be with Ruby and Alice and see them and hear them.

This is a suspenseful mystery in ways but challenges the focus mysteries have on the criminal and changes the focus to the victim and others in the story; what is the experience of some women seeking to move on and have a fresh start only to have those dreams taken away from them? What is it like to have to rely on strangers in a new place to be kind and not hurtful? Can Ruby struggling with her own past and loneliness and also new to NYC at the same time, help understand why Alice, arriving in NYC at the same time and with a similar story, winds up murdered one month later? Can Ruby stay safe? (what is safe for these women?)

The topics are challenging but always timely and important; the writing style is also powerful as there is an effective development of Ruby's voice but also Alice's voice as their stories come together and Ruby finds herself wanting to honor Alice's life/name.

A reader considering this one does need to be aware of some tough content about women's lives, lived experiences with violence and abuse, and themes on mental health. These are all powerfully relevant to the story but some readers may want to reflect on the book's themes before reading.

This is the story of Alice and Ruby, two women who arrive in New York on the same day. A few weeks later Alice is killed and Ruby finds her body. The book is written from Alice’s perspective as their lives intertwine. It’s was an interesting read.

Tragically and beautifully written, this isn’t exactly the story you think you’ll read when you learn it’s about a murdered girl. It’s about her life and her death, for sure, but this is actually a book about a different kind of haunting - the haunting that’s done by two restless spirits, one alive and one dead.

What a beautiful book about life and death and the impact we have on others. Two women, Alice and Ruby, arrive in New York on the same night, both running from people and situations in their lives. Their stories become intertwined when Alice is tragically murdered and Ruby is the one to find her body. The character development throughout this story is remarkable and I really came to love the people in this book!

While there is a murder mystery aspect to this book, since the story of Alice's death and who killed her is slowly unraveled throughout, it is a very slow burn. This isn't a thriller so don't expect that. But it truly is so beautifully written!

Man, did this story drag for me at times. But the story was good enough that I forced myself to keep reading to find out what happened to the characters.

This was a really sad and emotional read for me! Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz is a novel about 2 women, one dead and one alive. In the beginning, both women arrive in New York City on the same day because they are both running from their pasts. Actually, they are running away from men that they were involved with that was wrong and should of never been. Alice Lee has just turned 18 and is from Wisconsin. She’s alone in the world with no family at all. Ruby Jones is 36 and from Australia and is hoping to start fresh far from the mistakes she has made in her past. The two women never meet but one day while out walking, Ruby finds Alice’s dead body along the Hudson River. From then on, the two become intertwined or connected. Ruby needs to know who Alice is, and who took her life. Alice plays a big part in this story because even though she’s dead, she’s very much still here! It’s almost like she hasn’t crossed over. I thought this was an interesting story, I really enjoyed it and it got me thinking and wondering what it’s like after we pass. Do we hang around and witness what goes on after we’re gone like Alice did? The fact that she got to Ruby and made her desire to find out about Alice, what her real name was (not Jane Doe) and what kind of life she had lived showed what kind of person Ruby was. In the end, I think it made Ruby realize just how important it is to really live while you’re here. I have never read a book quite like this before but I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to others. I’d like to thank NetGalley for the arc that I found on the Read Now section. This is the authors debut novel of crime fiction and after reading this, I’m anxious to see what she writes next! I’m giving this a 4 star rating.

”You can find anything in New York, right? Even a dead body…”

If you like your thrillers deeply poetic and thick with emotion beyond just suspense, make room on your bookshelf for Before You Knew My Name. The prose is lyrical and rich, with a postmortem narration style that is reminiscent of The Lovely Bones, and this unique element makes the book a bit more memorable than others like it.

”When the dead speak back, we are seldom loud enough to be heard over the clamor of all that living going on.”

Sometimes the writing is so beautiful, weaving a tapestry out of language and emotion, and moving me nearly to the point of tears. But then, like a hollandaise heated just a degree too high, it breaks. It turns cloying and rambling and too-much, and I have to push my book away from me and throw my hands up in the air, to keep myself from yelling “Stop! Enough!” out loud.

”I am tired of beautiful things making me sad. I should like to love something without turning it over and discovering exposed wires, cheap parts on the other side.”

I think what it really comes down to is that you need to be really, really comfortable with death (as a concept, as a reality, as a certain-yet-unknowable future) to appreciate this book. And I… thought I was. But maybe I’m not, so much. Because a lot of the deathly ramblings sort of overwhelmed me, and the plot got a little lost in there because of this.

”I was just starting to feel safe, starting to forget. Which is all that safety is, right? A forgetting of what you know. A refusal to remember bad things are only ever just around the corner.”

So, yeah, some ups and some downs, and I’m not totally sure what to make of it all. Fans of A Flicker in the Dark and When the Stars Go Dark might appreciate this one.

”In the end, it doesn’t really matter. In the end. In the end, you can’t get back what you’ve lost. You can’t bring back the dead.”

——

A huge thank you to Jacqueline Bublitz, Atria, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This story is about two women, Alice and Ruby who arrive to NYC on the same day but never actually met, until Ruby comes across Alice’s body. I really had a hard time putting this book down as I’ve never read a book told from the perspective of a murdered victim, so it was quite intriguing as grim as that may sound. The story overall was filled with many moments of heartache, sadness, hope, friendships, and love. This is a must read!

This was a story about two women, Alice and Ruby. They both arrive in New York on the same day but never actually meet. The story is told by Alice, we get her thoughts on what happened before and after she is killed.
It’s a bit sad to think that no one will really know what happened to Alice. Ruby has her own issues but just happens to be in the right place at the right time.
It’s a good story that had me turning pages quickly.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

It’s difficult to know where to begin describing this poignant story about murdered unidentifiable people. It describes the ripple affects to the living who may not even know their loved one is missing or dead. It also portrays the consequences to total strangers. The setting in New York City follows two women both leaving a troubled past behind hoping to start over here.
Alice Lee, a runaway from the Midwest, has been abused, mistreated and is very alone. She escapes despicable circumstances with little more than a stolen camera and enough money to last a week in the city. Just as everything begins to give her hope for a new beginning, she is murdered. She had fallen in love with this bustling city and had begun making plans.
Ruby Jones is from Melbourne, fleeing a dead end affair with a married man. Her days are filled with vodka and exploring this new city. She fatefully spots the body of a young woman in the river. Afterwards she can’t forget the incident and becomes obsessed with knowing who she was. She is so traumatized after the discovery that she joins an unconventional death support group. There she makes some new acquaintances who could become friends, if Ruby can overcome her own fears and trust issues. One thing is certain, she will never be the same.
The two women’s lives appear as if they were meant to intersect. As you read you learn bits and pieces of their pasts, all while wondering who killed Alice and why. The story is the deep and dark portrayal of unknown, unnamed murder victims along with the survivors left forever altered. It is a soul touching, sad, heartbreaking and depressing take on unidentified victims. The detective on her case has no hints or clues to identify this victim. You can’t stop reading until you know if Ruby can help find out who the girl was or if she remains a Jane Doe.
The dramatic story is fictional but, certainly felt probable and real. The characters are complex and interesting. This was a new author to me, a thought provoking take on a system broken with too many unidentified people. I will remember her name.
Many thanks go to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “Before You Knew My Name” by Jacqueline Bublitz, and to Atria/Emily Bestler. These are all my honest, personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

Wow. What an incredible novel. So much more than I expected. If this is Ms. Bublitz debut, I am so excited to see what she comes up with next.

I don’t even know how to describe this book. Part murder mystery, part thriller, part contemporary fiction, with even just a little romance thrown in for good measure, it was moving and heartbreaking and suspenseful. And the prose… my gosh, it was beautiful.

This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. And one that I would recommend to anyone, for fans of any genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria, and Jacqueline Bublitz for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Before You Knew My Name will be available November 1st, 2022.

A digital ARC of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books. The opinions expressed are my own and freely given.

Warning ~
suicide, rape, adultery and grooming

Ruby discovers the body of Alice floating on the bank of the river. Ruby stays with Alice until the authorities arrive, and then she can't get Alice out of her mind. Alice also stays with Ruby. She feels like they are connected, and she wants Ruby to discover her name and figure out what happened to her.

This book is narrated by Alice. She tells her story from before she came to New York up until she was murdered. Alice also tells Ruby's story, why she came to New York and what she is trying to find in herself. Alice is an orphan from Wisconsin. She had a relationship with a former art teacher, who thought she was 18 at the time. Ruby is from Australia and was having an affair with a co-worker soon to be married.

This was very slow and didn't pick up until about three-quarters of the way through. I couldn't connect with either of the women. Until Alice came to New York and met Noah, her landlord, she finally started to be likable. Then I felt bad that she was murdered. Ruby came to New York and was obsessed with the man she left behind. Until she met Lennie, Sue and Josh, I really didn't care for her at all.

I liked how Alice would talk about what she could and couldn't do being dead. She basically watched Ruby and would try to push her thoughts and actions, but she wasn't quite able to.

I liked how Alice talked about being dead, (not in a creepy way) but the deeper thoughts associated with the dead.

I didn't like Ruby's thoughts. They seemed so random and not part of the story that it was distracting, and I wanted to put the book down several times.

Overall, how Ruby changes in the end and the way the case is solved was enough for me to be glad I finished this book, but this wasn't really for me.

Before You Knew My Name was an incredibly heartbreaking, beautiful novel. While it does start slow, the book is taken to another level in the second half.y only complaint is that the book felt a bit scattered and therefore made it harder to connect to the main characters. All in all, this is a book I would still recommend to anyone who enjoys their crime novels with a little heart.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

Set in contemporary New York City, this is the tale of two strangers- Alice and Ruby that are immediately connected by one event- Alice is murdered and Ruby is the unfortunate jogger that discovers her. Narrated by Alice, the chapters go back and forth in telling what led the women to the Big Apple and how Ruby searches tirelessly to capture Alice's murderer.

I liked the attachment between Ruby and Alice and I kept flipping the pages to find out what was going to happen. Although I will admit in the very beginning, it was a little slow to get into.


Goodreads Review 04/10/22
Expected Publication Date 01/11/22