The opening of the book is a bit slow to get going but the action ramps up in the final third and I was fully engaged with the characters by the end, even if I'd guess the ending.
Paul and Fern move into a new (to them) house on Crenellation Lane. It is supposed to be a new start for them after the death of Fern's sister a few months earlier and a better place to raise their baby than the flat where they live. But as soon as they move in Fern begins having visions and hears noises. Paul is less than sympathetic and moves his mother in to help out while Fern is going through a funny phase. Previously Fern had found Tina overbearing and controlling but as she tries to get to grip with the odd happenings in the house she finds Tina becomes an ally, especially when Paul takes off, saying he can't deal with Fern's hysterics.
Much of Fern's mental state is put down to pregnancy 'hormones' especially by her husband and other men in the book. However, the story deals in quite a lot of detail with her state of mind after losing an identical twin with whom she'd shared her life until the point of her sister's death. The loss allows the author to play on Fern's vulnerability and bring in hints of paranormal and supernatural activity. Whether you chose to believe this as a reader doesn't really matter — it serves to ramp up the pressure on Fern and make sure she is an emotional wreck by the time the finale is arrived at.
There are quite an array of characters in Crenellation Lane, but all distinctly drawn, several with their own problems. I did wonder quite why someone as attractive and vibrant as Fern's sister would have been attracted to one of them, and quite why Marte was attracted to another, but that is really my only beef with the story.
A very readable and impressive first novel. With thanks to HQ and Netgalley for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

When Fern is viewing a house, she is shown around by a woman she assumes is the owner. After moving into the house with her husband, Fern discovers the woman is not who she seemed and begins her quest to solve a mystery. Is Fern right to feel unnerved or is she becoming obsessed because of the trauma of recently losing her twin sister?

I could not put The Woman Before down, I loved everything about it. It was a great story which was well written and I can’t wait until the next book by Jennifer Moore.

Oh my goodness, I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down. I loved the characters and all the twists. A serious must read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC to review.
Great domestic thriller from a new author.
Good storyline and well written.
I look forward to reading more from this author.

After the tragic death of her twin sister, Fern and her husband buy a beautiful house on Crenellation Lane for a fresh new start. A woman gives Fern a tour of this house and they bond over their pregnant bellies. But when this mysterious woman keeps showing up in her nightmares, Fern starts asking around about her and no one seems to want to give her any information. What she does discover, concerns her. Despite all the other issues Fern is dealing with, she makes it her mission to find out who this woman is.
This was definitely an interesting read! The who-done-it vibes were really good! Most of all, I loved the character development. I LOVED the relationship between Fern and her mother-in-law. It was so sweet! There were a few small plot holes that I noticed. But over all, it was pretty good!

Thank you #TheWomanBefore #NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Woman Before is a psychological thriller, part mystery, part ghost story.

Fern the main characters twin sister was killed by a bus while riding her bike. Ferns pregnant, not handling the loss of her sister well at all. Her husband Paul is worried about her mental health. Paul decides to buy a larger house hoping to make some positive changes in their lives. While they are house shopping another pregnant woman shows up at the house showing.

Fern starts seeing things no one else sees, she's having nightmares of this woman that showed up at the showing of the house she and her husband, Paul bought. Nightmares about the house and it's past. Is Fern crazy?

An interesting read,

Loved the picture on the front and was interested to read it but found it confusing from the start and just couldn`t keep my attention.
It was supposed to be a thriller but more supernatural than thriller a subject I'm not interested in so not for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC
Posted to Goodreads

A great psychological thriller about a couple Fern and Paul who move to a new house. Fern starts to experience terrifying nightmares about the woman who lived in the house before. When the couple viewed the house Fern bonded with the woman over their pregnancies. A great debut novel which I would recommend.

I love a good psychological thriller so when I discovered this book on NetGalley I was keen to read it. It didn't disappoint.

The book centres around Fern - who has recently suffered the loss of her twin sister following a road traffic accident. Keen to make a new start Fern and her husband Paul move into a large, old house on Crenellation Lane, with beautiful high ceilings and a luscious garden, the ideal spot to raise their first baby. Even before they arrive though strange things happen - Fern is shown around the property by the mysterious, also pregnant Marte, when the estate agent is unexpectedly called away. But who is Marte? Why has the house passed through so many people's hands over the past five years? Is it all in Fern's head - did she really see Marte or is she 'seeing things' - just as she has been 'seeing' her sister since her death?

There's not much more that I can say about the plot itself without spoiling things. As to the book itself, I couldn't put it down - I was glad to have the hot weather as an excuse to stop work and get back to my reading. A recommended summer read

A perfect home
When Fern and Paul move into the large, old house on Crenellation Lane, with beautiful high ceilings and a luscious garden, they think they’ve found their dream home. After the devastating loss of Fern’s twin sister, it will be a fresh start and somewhere to raise their first baby.
A destructive obsession
But as soon as they arrive, Fern starts having terrifying nightmares about the woman who lived there before. When the woman showed Fern around, they bonded over their pregnancies. Now, Fern can’t let her go. Does she have something to do with the strange things happening in the house? Paul fears his wife has relapsed, obsessing in the same way she did with her twin.
A fatal secret
Fern questions the neighbours about the previous owner, but nobody wants to talk. It’s like the woman never even existed. Refusing to give up, Fern uncovers a shocking secret and now suddenly her whole family is in danger…

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

Wow this book is great and the fact that it's a debut makes it even better. If you like physiological thrillers then this one is definitely one not to be missed. It is dark, broody, with plenty of twist and turns along the way. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

An amazing thriller with twists and turns, what an amazing debut book I was so addicted. This is definitely a highly recommended read.

A brilliant murder mystery thriller with plenty of twists and turns. I will definitely read more from this author. Brilliant characters and brilliant story xx

This is a debut author? WOW! If this is the first release then I cannot wait to see what comes next.
This book has everything. Characters that have been really thought about, that are instantly believable and relatable.
The attention that’s been put into all elements of the story are amazing.
I lost myself completely in this and couldn’t get enough. This, this book right here should be added to everyone’s TBR god this summer. Just….fab.
Thank you so much to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the arc. Truly 5 out of 5 stars. If I could give it more, I would!

This was a gripping book with twists and psychological and supernatural elements.
What is true? Who is telling lies? Did Fern really see what she says she did or is she still suffering repercussions from the death of her twin?
All these questions are answered by the end of the book with a few red herrings thrown in for good measure. Thank goodness for Tina the Cagney to Fern's Lacey to help and support her quest for truth as well as looking after the pregnant Fern.
I was left with only one question unanswered - did they ever bring the blanket in from the garden?

A gripping read from the first pages loved the main character Fern and her quest to find answers as to the woman she keeps in her mind. Paul her husband thinks it is down to her pregnancy but Fern knows something happened to Marte the woman she keeps seeing and the neighbours are keeping secrets and refuse to talk about the previous owners.
When her husband says he needs time away to think her mother in law Tina arrives and what a great character she is as she believes Fern and sets about helping to find the truth.
Highly recommend thanks to NetGalley & HQ, HQ Digital for a advanced copy.
Would love a follow up book.

I simply loved this book as it was such a great psychological thriller without the intensity of having to turn my shoulder to check that everything was okay where I was. The supernatural element made this an unusual story and gave it so much impact. I did work out fairly quickly about Marte but certainly not the full background story. I found that the characters were so well described I could almost see them in my mind and thought that it captured a traditional set of residents in a street beautifully. I considered that the way the bursts of detective work and its results about Marte were introduced at a pace that kept me glued to the book and wanting to find out more. I felt very sorry for Fern as Paul just did not understand her emotions and as such I was not a great fan of this autocratic many but his mum Tina was a jewel and displayed such a lovely personality, understanding Fern all the way.

@currentlyreading__
Book 49 of 2022

Jennifer Moore's debut thriller 'The Woman Before' was my focus last week and it certainly kept me guessing. Fern and Paul have moved into the house of their dreams on Crenellation Lane, but pregnant Fern, already grieving for the death of her twin sister, cannot settle. Fern sees her sister everywhere and Paul is worried about his wife's mental state. Cue, lots of strange neighbours, nightmares about the mysterious pregnant woman who showed her around the house, strange happenings within the house and a seemingly cruel campaign to drive out the couple and we have a mysterious yet atmospheric psychological thriller.

Thank you to @NetGalley, the author Jennifer Moore and the publisher @hqstories. #thewomanbefore is out now.


#bookstagram #bibliophile #bookworm #book #booknerd #bookstagrammer #kindle #instabook #reader #bookobsessed #instareads #currentlyreading #bookchat #bookish #books #thewomanbefore #jennifermoore

I really enjoyed this and was gripped from the beginning. A clever psychological thriller with the supernatural as part of the suspense. What is real and what is imaginary. Fern's twin sister Linnaea recently died in a horrible accident. Fern continues to see her everywhere. Now pregnant, Fern and her husband Paul move to a new house, but who was the pregnant woman who showed Fern round the new house? And who is mounting a campaign to get them out of the neighbourhood. Strange things happen and Fern is terrified. When interfering mother in law Tina comes to stay, this is the last straw for Fern - however it turns out to be just what she needed and they form an unlikely but strong alliance to get to the bottom of events. I read this in a couple of sittings. #netgalley #thewomanbefore

Totally gripping! I was hooked from the first moment. My mind spiraling attempting to work out "who done what" what was real, what was happening. I loved the characters, both the living and the no longer with us, I was totally with Fern from the start, willing her on towards an outcome that would give her and certain others peace. Her father, husband and incredible mother in law. How cruel is life, (and death) Heartbreak, a menacing mystery all add to Fern's nightmares. I as with her all through this haunting, gripping story. I'm not sure where her strength came from, hope, love, grief? Never give up. even when you doubt yourself!

I could not put this book down! Totally addictive, completely compelling, highly recommended!