Reviews with content warning for Murder - The Girl Before

This was so nearly a five star book! So close! The writing is insanely clever, for one person to think up this story? Insanity. I don’t know what I expected going into it, but certainly not this. The story is really good at manipulating even the reader’s feelings. I was gobsmacked to find out the main twist. The dual timeline worked really well in the story’s favour, and I think the characters were believable.

I even think Emma’s dedication to victimhood is believable, even though it was the biggest plot twist that scrambled my brain for a good hour or so. It made me realize that it’s entirely possible for people to think this way, because they do. And often white women, like Emma, get away with it. Because it’s all just a game to them. Manipulation is a game they’re so good at winning.

The reason it doesn’t get a five stars is because of its depictions of Black people. There are only two obviously Black people in this story, and they’re both stereotypes of what white people have typically expected from Black people. And I think that’s a shame. Then the second reason is that I understand that thrillers have a history of

pinning things on mental health disorders, and driving a fear of people experiencing mental illness, and I think that’s problematic.

I think it would be fine and dandy to just explain that these are terrible people. Because they are. Delaney didn’t have to add that aspect into it, or he could have found a way to add it in while still being cautious of what the reader will take away. He’s a talented writer and if he could think up THOSE twists,

he could easily find a way to make sure that the reader doesn’t find people with mental health disorders inherently dangerous.

Overall, a really excellently told twisty story. I read it in a weekend, which is insane because I’m a slow reader.

Content Warnings

jsmittyx's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Content Warnings

thanksiberia's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

First half was promising, but after that the book tried to be too many things and in the end didn't work for me. I also didn't like (not entirely sure why) that the author is male. Perhaps I don't like men writing about men killing vulnerable women.....

Also, this one goes in the stack of books with an unnecessary depiction of

dead cat

. Far too many CWs to list on this one, so below is 100% incomplete. Like I said, there was a bit too much going on.

Content Warnings