**The Woman Before** by **Jennifer Moore** is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of relationships, betrayal, and the haunting nature of unresolved pasts. With a focus on the dynamics between two women connected by a mysterious event, Moore crafts a suspenseful narrative that keeps readers questioning everything as the story unfolds. The novel explores themes of obsession, trust, and the lengths one is willing to go to uncover the truth, all while maintaining an atmosphere of intrigue and tension throughout.

### Plot Overview:
The story centers around **Olivia**, a woman who, after a series of troubling events in her life, relocates to a new town in an attempt to start fresh. She moves into a beautiful, historic house that once belonged to a woman named **Eva**, who mysteriously disappeared under alarming circumstances years ago. Olivia becomes fascinated by Eva’s life, her disappearance, and the secrets that might still linger in the house.

As Olivia starts to uncover more about Eva’s past—through old journals, photographs, and local gossip—she begins to realize that her connection to the house and its previous occupant runs deeper than she ever imagined. Her obsession with Eva grows as she tries to piece together the mystery of Eva’s life, which has now become intertwined with her own. The lines between Olivia’s reality and the life of the woman before her blur, as she finds herself increasingly drawn into a dangerous and psychological game of discovery.

What starts as an innocent curiosity soon becomes an obsession, and Olivia must confront whether her fixation on Eva is part of her own emotional healing or something much darker. As she uncovers more about Eva’s troubled relationships and the choices that led to her disappearance, Olivia is forced to confront uncomfortable truths about herself, the people around her, and the true nature of the secrets Eva left behind.

### Character Development:
**Olivia** is the focal point of the novel, and Moore does a fantastic job of developing her character in a way that makes her both relatable and unreliable. She’s a character who feels familiar—a woman trying to rebuild her life, wrestling with the past and present—but the more the story progresses, the more Olivia's motivations and thoughts become suspect. Her obsession with Eva is unsettling, and it forces readers to question whether Olivia is a victim of circumstance or if she’s veering dangerously toward becoming a person she never thought she’d be.

The mystery surrounding **Eva** is one of the driving forces of the plot. Though she’s absent for most of the book, Eva’s life and disappearance shape the entire story. Through Olivia’s investigation, we learn bits and pieces about Eva’s past: her relationships, her struggles, and her darker tendencies. Eva’s character is layered and elusive, keeping the reader intrigued and questioning how much of the story has been hidden or distorted.

Other secondary characters, including Olivia’s friends and neighbors, add depth to the story and further complicate the narrative. These characters contribute to the atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust, which enhances the overall tension. As the mystery unravels, the relationships between these characters become just as important as the central plot itself.

### Writing Style:
Jennifer Moore’s writing is atmospheric and tense, using descriptive prose to build a palpable sense of unease. She excels at creating an eerie, unsettling atmosphere, especially in the scenes set within the old house where Olivia resides. The sense of isolation and mystery surrounding the house and Eva’s past are brought to life with vivid detail, making the setting an integral part of the story.

The pacing of the novel is well-maintained, with a slow burn that allows the suspense to build gradually. Moore does an excellent job of keeping the reader hooked by providing just enough information to pique curiosity without fully revealing the truth until later in the book. This sense of mystery is enhanced by Olivia’s increasingly unreliable perspective, as her obsession with Eva deepens, making readers question what’s real and what might be a product of her disturbed mind.

The narrative structure is divided between Olivia’s first-person perspective and excerpts from Eva’s journals and other materials, which add a layer of complexity and provide insight into the events leading up to Eva’s disappearance. These shifting perspectives help to keep the tension high and give the story a multi-dimensional feel.

### Themes:
1. **Obsession and Identity**: The novel explores how obsession can distort one’s perception of reality. Olivia’s growing fixation on Eva, as well as her attempts to uncover Eva’s secrets, leads her to lose sight of her own boundaries. The novel examines how the obsession with another person’s life can become consuming, and how it can blur the lines between admiration and unhealthy fixation.

2. **The Past’s Grip on the Present**: A major theme in *The Woman Before* is how the past shapes who we are. Olivia’s own troubled history and her search for answers about Eva’s life reflect the way unresolved issues can continue to haunt individuals, impacting their decisions and relationships. The book delves into the consequences of hiding from or confronting the past, and the ripple effects of long-buried secrets.

3. **Trust and Deception**: Trust is another key theme in the story, especially in terms of how much Olivia can trust her own instincts. As the narrative unfolds, Olivia’s relationships with others and even with herself are called into question. The theme of deception runs throughout, with characters hiding truths and manipulating perceptions. The book explores how lies and secrets can warp one’s reality, leading to feelings of betrayal and confusion.

4. **The Dark Side of Human Nature**: The novel touches on the darker aspects of human relationships and the capacity for manipulation, jealousy, and obsession. It reveals how individuals can be pushed to extreme actions by their inner demons and desires, often leading to tragic outcomes.

### Emotional Impact:
*The Woman Before* is a slow-burn psychological thriller that will keep readers hooked, though its emotional impact is subtle and builds over time. The sense of unease and tension lingers throughout the novel, and the gradual unraveling of the mystery surrounding Eva’s life creates a feeling of dread and anticipation.

As the story develops, Olivia’s emotional descent and her obsession with Eva make her a compelling but unreliable narrator. Readers will feel empathy for her as she grapples with her past, but they’ll also begin to question her sanity and motivations. This complexity adds to the emotional weight of the story, making the ending all the more impactful.

### Final Thoughts:
*The Woman Before* by Jennifer Moore is a captivating psychological thriller that masterfully combines suspense, intrigue, and character study. The story is filled with twists and turns, and the complex relationships and layered mysteries keep the reader on edge throughout. Moore’s writing is atmospheric and her characters are well-crafted, making this a standout novel for fans of psychological suspense.

The themes of obsession, identity, and the past’s influence on the present are explored with nuance and depth, and the unreliable narration creates an added layer of mystery and suspense. For readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with strong character development, an eerie atmosphere, and a steadily building sense of tension, *The Woman Before* is a must-read.

This novel will appeal to fans of authors like **Gillian Flynn** and **Ruth Ware**, as it skillfully explores the darker side of human nature while keeping readers guessing until the final page.

Book Review:
Title: The Woman Before
Author: Jennifer Moore
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/3 stars

Moving into a new home on Crenellation Lane, Fern and her husband Paul, they are excited to start a family. Fern is mourning the loss of her twin sister, Linny, so when she starts to have terrifying nightmares, she assumes it's because of her state of mind. But the woman in her nightmares is Marte, who lived in the home before. A mysterious woman who showed her around their home when her and Paul we're inquiring into the sale. This woman is pregnant as well, but no one seems to know who she is, including those employed at the realtors' office. Then Fern starts to see her sister. Hallucinations that border on reality. Is Fern losing her mind, or are more sinister forces at play? On the verge of losing her marriage, Fern enlists in the help of her mother in law, Tina, to get answers. Lots of twists in turns!

Published: June 13th, 2022

Thank you, @netgalley, and @hq_digitalmarketing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

What a superb debut! Badged as a thriller but had such a ghosty/paranormal vibe that it was quite creepy at times.

It was told most by Fern who is grieving the loss of her twin Linny and this was the overriding theme of the story and separating Fern's grief and mental health from real events was challenging - giving her huge potential to be an unreliable narrator.

Not only does Fern have to battle with thinking she is constantly seeing her dead twin, but there is a missing lady, Marte, her neighbours act oddly and her husband is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard!

The author sets this up to be a psychological thriller and creates so many loose ends that its hard to imagine they can all be tied off by the end of the book.

My thanks to thank #JenniferMoore, #NetGalley and #HQDigital for an ARC of #TheWomanBefore in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic physiological thriller kept me up guessing all night I could not put this book down I love a good thriller that keeps you turning the pages so fast paced an enjoyable read

Thank you HQ Digital and Netgalley and sorry I took so long to read this.
This was a really good thriller which kept me on my toes. A bit slow at times, but you must read this.
Highly recommend

Wow this was amazing! I have already recommended this to everyone I know that reads!!
A very twisty and fast paced book which had me up as I couldn’t put it down.

Wow loved this book! Great characters, wonderful story about love life and loss.
The characters were all so interesting.
A great read

This is a good debut but the pace is quite slow. It is very creepy. The twists and turns were good. The ending was satisfying.

I read this in one sitting on a windy afternoon. I’ve got say it’s a brilliant debut as it’s so tense and really is a proper page turner. You will love this and the ending is one of the best I’ve ever read. I cannot wait to read the next book by this talent.

Enjoyed this book and the twistiness of it. It keeps you guessing. I'm new to the author but I will look out for more.

Fern and Paul move into the large old house on Cremellation Lane, with its high ceilings and luscious garden they, think they have found the perfect home.

Fern lost her twin sister so this will be a fresh start for the couple and somewhere to raise their first baby. but straight away Fern starts having terrifying nightmares about the woman who had lived there before. Paul fears his wife has relapsed, obsessing in the same way she did after her twins death.

A compelling and twisty read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

A literary gem that deserves a spot on your bookshelf. Fast paced and full of twists I read it in a day, loved every second.

The only flaw I had with this book had more to do with the way it was marketed/presented than with the book itself. This is more of a spooky “is it a ghost or not?” mystery than it is a thriller, but the cover and description definitely make it seem like it will be more the latter.
But this book was so good! The MC is dealing with the death of her identical twin, as well as the stress of a sudden pregnancy and move to a new part of the city. At the beginning of the book she meets another pregnant woman, only later no one seems to know who she was or if she even existed outside of the MC’s grief and stress ridden mind.
This book had so much going for it- the possibly unreliable narrator, several mysteries and a few red herrings to throw off the trail, a unique cast of characters, and it also managed to deal with so many different types of grief and familial relationships in ways that broke a lot of stereotypes. I loved it. I only wish that Paul was given more attitude for his behavior through the middle chunk of the book, but that’s nitpicking.
I’m very thankful to have received an ARC of this book and I will absolutely be reading more from Jennifer Moore in the future!

A devastating loss, a destructive obsession, a house of secrets. She could not let it go and now they are in danger. I really did enjoy this debut novel by Jennifer Moore, it was a tad wordy and descriptive and a little all over the place but nevertheless the enjoyed relaxing with this book and although some characters were unrealistic and predictable, it was meaty enough to keep my attention.

So full of suspense. This author knows how to keep you on the edge of your seating guessing right up until the end.

Creepy house, disbelieving husband, strange goings on. This is right up my street. Lapses a little times but worth reading.

A creepy premise of a storyline which kept me guessing as to whether there was something sinister happening or whether the main character Fern was having a mental breakdown. After she becomes obsessed with her dead twin sister, Fern's husband Paul finds it more and more difficult to believe things that Fern is saying. Moving house appears to be no support in Fern's process of grieving and simply provides more reasons to drive a wedge between the husband and wife. I found this book easy to read and I wanted to continually read just one more chapter. I was kept guessing until the very end!

I'm afraid this book wasn't for me. It landed in my dnf pile at 23%. At first I was curious but unfortunately not enough to continue reading.

Paul and Fern have moved into a large house which seems to hold many secrets. Fern, heavily pregnant and grieving the loss of her twin sister, feels things are not right. Is she seeing things?
I don’t know how to feel about this, part ghost story part domestic thriller but overall a solid read. Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review

Suspenseful, fast paced, emotional.. I loved this book! I couldn't help feeling for Fern and loving her despite herself. I couldn't read it fast enough and wish it didn't end so quickly! 5 stars!