Every Moment Since
by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
In this "neatly crafted story about lives connected and changed by one night" (New York Journal of Books), four people are bound by tragedy. Perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Jessica Knoll.

A small Southern town. An ordinary Saturday night. A little boy disappears without a trace.
With hauntingly vivid prose, Marybeth Mayhew Whalen peels back the curtain on the inner turmoil of those who were left behind in the small Southern community as they pick up the pieces that remain and press forward into the light to find hope and healing.
A true family saga story with subtle hints of mystery woven throughout. Whalen’s prose shines in this incredibly moving yet suspenseful novel. Sure to capture book club attention, EVERY MOMENT SINCE is a novel that will keep people talking!

Thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for this ARC. My first by this author and I really enjoyed the writing style. This was a fantastic slow burn of domestic suspense that had me thoroughly invested in the characters.. 4 Stars

One of the best books I’ve read all year. I loved the storytelling in the dual timelines and from the different perspectives. Seeing how this tragedy affected so many people in the community and how that shaped them throughout the years was very realistic and heartbreaking. The ending was a great twist that I didn’t see coming. I also appreciate how you can still feel sorry Phillip, even though he was involved in such an awful thing and kept it a secret for so many years. This novel was so well written and told the story well.

Every Moment Since by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen is a well-written novel that skillfully combines mystery and family drama set against the backdrop of the small Southern town of Wynotte, North Carolina. The book’s dual timelines and multiple perspectives bring a unique depth to the story, allowing readers to experience the ripple effects of Davy Malcor's disappearance from every angle. I was especially captivated by how distinct and complex each character felt—whether it was Thaddeus, wrestling with the consequences of his memoir, or Anissa, whose hidden connection to Davy adds another layer to the who-done-it intrigue.

The pacing was a little slow for me in the middle, but Whalen’s resolution was well worth it. She wraps up the mystery in a way that feels both realistic and satisfying, allowing each character a sense of closure and hope for a better future. This book is perfect for readers who appreciate stories of healing, second chances, and the unbreakable bonds of family.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions stated here are my own.

I was able to read a finished copy of this book and it was really good and held my interest. I would recommend it to any reader from new to thrillers to those who read a lot of thrillers (3.75 stars)

This was such a heart rendering story. A mystery that devastated a family. Each family member dealt with lost and tragedy in different and unique ways. All the emotions and with twists that keep you turning the page!

Another excellent mystery book from this author. I really enjoyed this one. The pacing was great. The different points of view and types of writing kept the story fresh and moving. I highly recommend this one!

This is the second book that I have read from this author and I enjoyed it more than the first one. This book is told by alternating point of views that moves the story along and covers the emotions and thoughts of the different characters. I felt that there was a lot of repetition because of the characters and their position to the missing child or family. The part about the police liaison was just odd as she never left the area. It is really
not plausible in a small town that they wouldn't know who she was. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley. This was a good read.

I can’t imagine what this family and community go through when 11 year old Davy goes missing and isn’t found to 21 years. How is family, especially his mom could never move forward or leave. How the person suspected had to make a life
after and was never without suspicion.

How doing the right thing would have set everyone on different paths.

Excellent plot with great character development. I had a strong dislike for one character in particular but by the end I was experiencing sympathy for him. My heart broke for each family member in this book, it s hard to imagine living thru the nightmare of a missing child.

I knew Every Moment Since was going to captivate me immediately after reading the synopsis. One night, in a sleepy southern town, 11 year old Davy Malcor disappears. All Davy wants is to pal around with his older brother, TJ. When the boys Mother forces TJ to bring Davy along when hanging out with the older boys one night, everything changes.

Every Moment Since is told in dual timelines - the night of Davy’s disappearance in 1995 and then 20 years later after a missing piece of evidence is found. As the missing pieces start to come together, Thaddeus “TJ” Malcor starts to fall apart. After writing a memoir and becoming famous, Thaddeus now must face so many of the feelings he bottled away.

Every Moment Since isn’t just a story about losing someone. It’s a story about losing yourself when someone you love is lost. It’s very much about the ties that bind a family, and especially brothers. This book had me enthralled from the very beginning. And even though the story is told from the POV of multiple characters, it’s never confusing and everything just flows so nicely. I kept finding myself going back to read more and more until Davy’s fate was revealed. This is definitely one of the best books I’ve read in a while and I can see this story sticking with me for a very long time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Davy Malcor goes missing while out playing with the other neighborhood kids. Twenty years later, the jacket he was wearing is found. He was never found. This book has two timelines. Davy's disappearance, the hours before and immediately following are interspersed between the present finding of the jacket. The book is narrated by different persons, mainly the family of Davy. The book switches easily between persons and time with the appropriate headings. This book is about sorrow and regrets in the aftermath of the disappearance. In following the story of his mom, father, brother, sister, friends and the community I definitely shed some tears. Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the privilege of receiving a complimentary digital ARC. This review is my own opinion. Since I sat and read without changing it up for another book, not putting it down until I had to, and finishing it so quickly--how can I give it anything but 5 stars?

This was an emotionally dense and melancholic read. While there’s an intriguing mystery element to it; the core of this book is the exploration of how a family and a small town grapple with the aftermath of 11 year old Davy’s disappearance. Themes of grief, loss, guilt and regret are prominent in this work.

Davy vanishes on a fateful night in 1985, after tagging along with his brother to night games with the neighborhood kids. 21 years later, a new piece of evidence surfaces, bringing his family and their painful memories, back into the public eye.

We meet Thaddeus, Davy’s older brother who has gone on to write a bestselling memoir of his brother’s disappearance; Tabitha, their mother, who clings to a weekly list of regrets that never quite seems to capture her biggest regret; Anissa, a public information officer who has her own secrets to keep about that night; and Gordon, a sculptor who was once a suspect in the case and has never been able to salvage his reputation.

Through each of these characters’ POVs, we get an intimate look into how the events of 12 October 1985 affected the trajectory of their lives and the inner turmoil and the guilt that they have been left to deal with, as the spotlight descends on them again.

The book masterfully blends a well executed plot and deep character exploration. Perfectly paced and well-written, it kept me turning the pages.
The ending was also a good surprise- I like to think I’m good at solving mysteries before they’re revealed but this one was satisfyingly unpredictable. I also appreciated the fact that we get to find out what happened to Davy. It gave me closure as a reader.

If you’re a mystery lover who appreciates a deep character study, this book is for you. It also saved me from an impending reading slump, so if you’re stuck in one, this might be the perfect book to bring you back.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from @harpermusebooks and @netgalley (thank you!). Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is my second Marybeth Mayhew Whalen book that I've enjoyed. She's a gifted writer who puts a lot of feeling into her stories.

In 1985 in a small-town in North Carolina an 11 year old boy named Davy Malcor went missing. Now over 20 years later his jacket is found in an old abandoned shed. The police once again begin to search for his possible remains. The story goes back to that fateful night but also jumps to the present (2006) to the lives of the people that were most affected by his disappearance. His mother Tabitha, his older brother Thaddeus who was in charge of him that fateful night, Anissa, a girl who he was with that same night, and a mysterious man named Gordon Swift. In between their stories we get "snippets" from a best-selling memoir that Thaddeus wrote in 2005 about his missing brother.

I listened to this audio and the narrators were perfect for the story. A little over half way through I also received a digital copy so I began to read as I listened.

This story is told slowly and it works quite well. There's a mystery to what really happened that terrible night that kept me listening and turning those pages quickly. This was an emotional read that left me somewhat forlorn at the end.

I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Harper Muse for the Advanced Listening Copy and the Advance Reader's Copy. All opinions are my own.

Every Moment Since is a poignant story of what happens after an 11-year-old boy disappears in Wynette, North Carolina. Twenty years later, his jacket is unexpectedly uncovered, so the case reopens. Davy's family and friends, the suspect, and the police involved with the case have a say as the novel progresses, moving back and forth in time which unveils many aspects crucial to know the characters. I enjoyed this read, and it kept me interested throughout the story, there were characters that I found more interesting than others, but it was a pleasant read.

“I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

I DNF at about 30% - I was bored and felt no tension. I sort of wanted to find out whodunit but again, the stakes weren’t high enough and there was no tension in the tone of the story urging the reader on. This one fell flat for me.

Loved it! ( As much as you can love a book about the tragic disappearance of a boy.) Davy Malcor has been missing for twenty years. Pretty much it's a cold case, until his jacket is found. Then the case is reopened. It's not just any jacket. It's the jacket Davy's mom made to look like Marty McFly's denim jacket in Back to the Future. Davy's disappearance affected so many people in different ways. They all grieved in their own ways and many of them blamed themselves. Tabitha and Daniel's marriage couldn't survive the disappearance of their son. Thaddeus wrote a book, does a book tour, picks up random women at his book readings and doesn't have a single meaningful relationship. Gordon has ever been the only suspect, even though he was cleared. He lives with people constantly thinking he's guilty. Anissa has never gotten over Davy's disappearance. From the start I was hooked and I had to know what happened to Davy? Was he murdered? Still alive? I kept thinking it had to be someone at the field that night or maybe some random serial killer who happened to be walking in the woods. There were so many twists and turns. I can't imagine having a child disappear and not know where he/she is or what happened. I really wanted Davy to be found, but at the same time it meant he wasn't alive. If he was alive would he really not have contacted his parents in twenty years? I loved how the book alternated POVs and told the story through the past and present. How can Pete not watch Dateline or love Keith Morrison?!

Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller that kept me guessing until the end. Loved the story, characters and writing style. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Muse through Goodreads. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Marybeth Mayhew Whalen is at her best in this atmospheric mystery that will keep you turning pages from cover to cover! Marybeth is able to peel back the layers of small town life and get to the core of the people who live there like no other author I've read!

I started the #audiobook of Every Moment Since today and the cast of narrators is wonderful! (audio book not gifted)

Marrybeth also has an impressive backlist so once you finish Every Moment Since - start with #ThisSecretThing - one of my personal favorites - and work your way back. #TBR

Thank you to Marybeth and @harpermusebooks for this gifted digital early readers copy of Every Moment Since!

Davy has been missing for over twenty years. The night he went missing changed the town of Wynotte, North Carolina, forever. Davy’s family has never fully recovered. But now, twenty years later, his jacket has been found.

Well, y’all! This story takes you on a ride! The only reason for the 4 star rating is the story slowed down a bit for me in the middle.

Thaddeus, Davy’s older brother, has so much guilt from the night he went missing and he blames himself…always has and always will. Makes no difference that he was just a child himself.

Then there is Gordon Swift. His life was ruined the night Davy went missing. He was accused of the crime. Is he innocent? He sued the police department over it! But is he innocent? You will have to read this to find out.

This story creates emotions you did not know you had! One minute I wanted to cry for the loss and the next minute I wanted to beat someone up!

Need a hauntingly, beautiful written tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC that I thoroughly enjoyed! The perfect fall read about a tight knit community missing one of their own. As the story plays out, the reader has a pretty good idea of what happened to Davy several years prior, but the author does a really good job of making you assume several possible scenarios as the story plays out. What really did happen to Davy all those years ago is truly heartbreaking, but also sadly, happens a lot in America. I found myself getting attached to all the characters and relieved at the end when my favorites were not to blame for Davy's disappearance.