Review: The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney

The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney
Summary from Goodreads.com

Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life.

The request seems odd, even intrusive—and for the two women who answer, the consequences are devastating.

Emma
Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass, and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant—and it does.

Jane
After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street she is instantly drawn to the space—and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home’s previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror, as the girl before.


Review: I thought this started out a little slow, but it got really intense and kept me reading. I read this all in one sitting. While I did not like the ending, I thought this was a great book on the manipulative personality of society. I honestly thought that the end was going to have a dystopian twist and was kind of disappointed it didn't. That was not the only reason I did not like the ending, I just felt that it did not go well with the personalities and twists that were discovered. No spoilers here, but I would gladly give you a more detailed opinion if you ask. 😊