A mother with a past. A botched suicide attempt. A lying father. A secret that kills. A question with no answer.

Charlotte is smart, beautiful and popular. So why did she step in front of a city bus? Her mother Susan knows it wasn't just a freak accident. Something compelled her daughter to attempt suicide and she is determined to find out why. Starting with her fifteen-year-old daughter's diary, Susan digs into her daughter's life and events leading up to the accident. It doesn't take long before Susan realizes events from her own past put Charlotte in danger.

The novel alternates between the main story line and Susan's diary entries from fifteen years ago. I'm glad the author chose this writing style so readers could draw their own conclusions and piece together clues. Both points of view reach a climax that kept me "all in" until the end.

Before I Wake includes a Reading Group Guide and Q&A with the author that makes it a great summer selection for book clubs. (Set for release in June) What's not to like about a novel of secrets and lies? It has my stamp of recommendation.

Literary Marie of Precision Reviews