2019 Book Review #24: Before She Was Found

This author is a fave of mine.

I've read every single one of her novels. All have been excellent.

This one did not disappoint although it was a bit unusual.

STORY SUMMARY

Cora Landry is 12 years old and in middle school.  She lives in Pitch, Iowa with her father, mother and 15 year old sister Kendall.  Cora is a loner and doesn't make friends easily.  However, now that she's in the middle school, she meets a new girl in town, Violet Crow.  Violet lives with her mom Beth (a single mom) and her older brother Max.  Cora also is becoming friends with Jordyn who is in her social studies class with Mr Dover.  Jordyn sometimes makes fun of Cora but sometimes she is nice and friendly.  Jordyn is being raised by her grandparents, Thomas and Tess Petit as Jordyn's parents have basically abandoned her.

It's spring time and Cora has a sleepover one Sunday evening at her home. Violet and Jordyn are invited.  It was supposed to be just a fun evening of movies, popcorn, Ouija boards and talking about boys.  However, around midnight, they decide to sneak out of the house and go to the old abandoned train depot which contains several old boxcars.  It's on the outskirts of town.  But little do they know......this evening will turn out to change them forever.

Later that night...around 1 a.m. Cora is found bleeding and badly beaten lying on the train tracks.  She is barely clinging to life and her friends have disappeared.  This small rural town is turned upside down...who attacked Cora?  and why?? and why does Violet come out from the tall grasses with blood all over her?  Where is Jordyn?  

Soon, everyone...from Max and his friends to the social studies teacher Mr Dover, is a suspect!  No one can be trusted....not even the people closest to Cora.

What really happened to Cora?  Will her journal give any clues?  and what about all those text messages between Violet and Jordyn?  How does Mr Dover fit into the puzzle?  is he really just an innocent teacher or is there something sinister below his surface?

And who is JW44 whom Cora has been chatting with online??

How will she and her family and friends come to terms with what happened that night in the train yard??

MY THOUGHTS

This book is a very fast-paced, gripping story.   The characters are very well developed and the setting is perfect for the type of plot involved.

The main themes are friendship, betrayal, family dynamics, the power of social pressure and the lure of social media/online activity.  It also touches on the need for young teens to fit in and the lengths a parent will go to to protect their child. The story also touches on lying, bullying and the role teachers play in a student's life.

I like how each chapter was a different voice.  We hear from Cora via her journal and text messages, Violet's mom Beth, Thomas Petit (Jordyn's grandfather) and Dr Madeline Gideon (pschiatrist). We also read the exchanges between Cora and the online "friend" via the DarkestDoor website.

This book is all about the nuances that are unspoken. Pay close attention to Cora and her personality.  Pay attention to how Jordyn acts and possibly feels.

There is a lot of depth to this story and to each character...especially the girls.

This story is also about depersonalization disorder.  I won't say anymore about that as I don't want to give anything away in case you decide to read this story.

The twists and turns in the plot kept me turning page and page well after I should have gone to bed!  It's very riveting.

The ending was such a surprise.  And yet.....I did wonder if it was going to be the way the author wrote it........it's brilliant.  And horribly sad.

It really did open up my mind to just how much social pressure middle school students are under...and in today's culture with everything and everyone online and on their phones....well.....it's actually quite sad.  

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17 and older (due to some mature content).

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 10.