This was really well written with some great characters. Disturbing in parts, I enjoyed it overall and would recommend.

I really enjoyed this book had some great charecters and a really great storyline, came to a satisfying conclusion in the end

One Folgate Street is a weird house, stark and uncompromising, perfectly reflecting the character of the architect who designed it. Prospective tenants of this enigmatic property first need to undergo a psychometric test, and then agree to an extensive list of rules and stipulations. Few manage to pass the selection process. Emma succeeded, but her tenancy came to an abrupt end. Now Jane is starting out on her own adventure of occupancy, and in doing so begins to uncover the building's secrets and those of the man whose creation it is.

With this premise driving the plot, the early chapters tugged at my curiosity and had me eager to read on. Trying to free herself from the pain and upset of her recent past, Jane soon finds herself treading the same path of circumstances which led to dire consequences for the previous tenant, Emma.

The narrative has dual timelines and follows Emma's and Jane's stories which are alarmingly similar. The initial third of the book builds the intrigue and lays the foundations for the plot and the characters involved. The pace of the telling becomes somewhat labored in the novel's middle third, and as Emma and Jane's paths increasingly converge it is easy to become confused of what actually happened to who — more than once I had to flip back and check the chapter heading in order to establish whose timeline the chapter belonged to. The narrative energy picks up towards the denouement, and I found the final chapter delightful with its chilling possibilities left hanging...

This was a creepy and psychologically frightening thriller which had plenty of twists and turns and I enjoyed it right to the end.

This was a sampler - full review given on The Girl Before as I also read that using Netgalley. Please see that review.

No,no and no again,I would never ever move into a house that had a no book rule,I might be ok with some rules but no books forget it mate.

This book is about three people,Emma,Jane and a house at One Folgate Street.I know it might sound strange making a house sound like a character in a book but this is no normal house,it has a personality all of its own and it is designed to change the people that live in it.To live in this house you have to be prepared to give up most of your worldly possessions and live by a long list of rules and be prepared to suffer the consequences if you break any of them.

Emma and Simon have moved into One Folgate Street because they are looking for a cheap place to live after their previous address was burgled and Emma was allegedly assaulted by one of the burglars.

Jane wants a fresh start after the still birth of her baby daughter,she is still devastated and hopes that moving into One Folgate Street and living by the strict rules will give her the strength to overcome her grief.

Emma's story is set in the past and Jane's in the present.the story is told in chapters that alternate between then and now until eventually the time frames converge towards the end of the book.

After a slow start the story picks up once the two women move into One Folgate Street and their two stories begin to unfold.There are elements of the story that happen in exactly the same way in both time frames and at times I was unsure which of the two women I was reading about at that moment.Once the story gets going it is a intreguing mystery that holds the readers attention,the chapters are quite short and the two time frames flow together fluently so the story never feels disjointed.The characters are multi layered and many of them are not who they seem,as the story unfolds the layers are removed and their true selves are revealed.

It is a strangely addictive story that I did enjoy reading although I can't honestly say why.I do think that because of some of the issues that are raised throughout the book that it would cause some interesting discussions if it was read as part of a book group.

Written by JP Delaney, The Girl Before is a standalone psychological thriller in the same veins as The Girl on The Train. Looking forward to seeing Hollywood's interpretation.

This is an interesting, suspense-filled novel focusing on the story of Jane, who is looking for a new start in a home with no reminders of the child she has lost, and that home’s previous tenant, Emma, who is trying to recover after a traumatic break-in. It’s told in their alternating perspectives, as each of them begin their new lives following the strange rules left by the landlord of their new home – One Folgate Street.

Jane soon discovers that Emma died (or was killed) in the house. Her curiosity is piqued and she begins to obsess over what might have happened, while also beginning an ill-advised relationship with their peculiar landlord Edward Monkton.

The whole storyline is a little convoluted at times. We jump between Jane, in the present, and Emma’s story from two years prior, and there are several serious similarities – history repeats itself somewhat. There are a number of plot twists, some of which I saw coming and some that I did not. This is unfortunately one of those books that jumped on the unreliable narrator bandwagon following the success of GONE GIRL, so it becomes very obvious that Emma especially is not necessarily telling us the truth.

I do enjoy an unreliable narrator, but I do think if I’d read this one at its original time of release I would have found it a little much. Luckily I’ve had a break from those tropes so I was happy do discover this little gem. I really liked the fast pace of the plot and the twistiness of it all. Just when you think you’ve got something figured out- BOOM! Plot twist!

This certainly wouldn’t be to everyone’s taste, but if you like a plot so twisty it’s practically a corkscrew, pick this one up.

Not saying I love this book but I immediately started looking out for J.P Delaney's next novel across all platforms!
This was a tremendous debut, told in 2 very distinct voices, and I was on edge for both characters till the very end. It is told in an assured voice, you are never quite sure what is going on just that there is a sense of impending danger for one woman and the other a resolution in the events that lead up to her death.
A great read, highly enjoyed it and looking forward to the next novel!
Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this in return for an honest review.

Unfortunately I buy a book with a lot of hype. Read it. Then wonder what all the fuss was about.
They are usually ok/good books but nothing that would stand out. This was one of those. By half way through I had lost interest.

A little disappointing if I'm honest. But I do find that often happens when a book is hyped and hyped. I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy it, but I would only give it an 'OK'. I thought it was quite predictable and I didn't buy into the characters.

I am honestly unsure how I feel about this book. Although I enjoyed the story itself, I did find some of the language used off putting ( not offensive language, just some phrases) which is just a personal thing.
The story is told from by Two characters, and flicks between past (Emma) and present (Jane). Both women get the opportunity to live in an ultra modern, minimalistic home for a very reasonable price by agreeing to live by a very strict set or rules, set out by the architect Edward Monkford.
This is a good story, and well written, however at times It felt like I was reading 50 Shades of Grey ( not that i ever would)

I thought this book was amazing. It had a really original approach.

The story is set in a house designed by a leading architect, specialising in minimalist design. The house is almost another character in it's own right.

The story is cleverly constructed, simultaneously telling the tale of the current occupant , and the previous one. This is all interwoven with their relationship with the obsessive and controlling architect.

This story is all about lies,obsession, control, revenge and personal relationships. It demonstrates how life's ups and downs can save us or destroy us.

It is a refreshing change from the norm and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were a few twists at the end, all relevant and all unexpected.

J. P. Delaney is definitely going onto my must read authors list.

Wow what a book - didn't want to put it down. Much better than Gone Girl in my opinion. Loved the story telling from the 2 perspectives and kept me turning the pages right till the end. A fab psychological thriller to keep you up late at night reading. Would highly recommend.

I enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting although I didnt like the ending. I liked both Emma and Jane. Although Jane did start to annoy me towards the end. I would read more by this author.

I received only a sample of this book from Netgalley. Glad I didn't waste my time reading the whole book as I didn't really enjoy what I read at the beginning of the book. It didn't flow well and the grammar was awful.

A mystery/thriller that has hints of misogyny... Not really my cup of tea, but I could see how people who enjoy psychological suspense would enjoy this book. I personally didn't enjoy the aspect of women being so enthralled with this man, but to each their own.

Interesting and thought provoking read! i would recommend this book. Its creepy and suspensful in all the right parts and had me hooked from the begining
I enjoyed the writing style and the characters involved, so much so that i was actually discussing the concept of living with the arrangements involved in this book!
Great read and look forward to reading more from JP Delaney.

After the trauma of giving birth to Isabel her stillborn baby Jane decides as she can't go back to her job for a year due to a replacement having being made for her maternity leave that she's going to change her life.
So after handing in her notice and realising she'd have to move to a more affordable home she comes across a beautiful minimalist house which would be perfect for her the house has Restricted Covenant. There are around 200 restrictions but it's the final one that is the big problem. Meeting Edward Monkford the techno architect who owns the property he must approve the tenant.
When Jane meets Edward she's instantly attracted to him and is very pleased she gets the tenancy.
Once she moves into property she receives beautiful bouquet of lilies 2 days later she receives a second bouquet then a third and forth. It was the next time she met Simon delivering the bouquet that she realised the bouquets were meant for Emma The Girl Before.
I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book there was a blend of mystery plus a little romance. Keeps you guessing til the end.

The House of your dreams- or not? One Folgate Street in London is a modern, spacious state-of-the-art and technologically advanced place to live, which Jane sets eyes on and where she is looking forward to hopefully living. That is, if she can pass the odd test of interview questions that await her. There's one condition- she must answer correctly if she has a chance of being the chosen one by the estate agent.
Emma lived in the house "before". She also loved it at first. One Folgate Street is rented out again after her death. Jane, fearing she may be prey to the same fate, has to keep a close watch on what she does.

The Girl Before kept my attention all the way through due to its pace which was helped along by chapters in the alternating POV of Jane and Emma, and I really found it easy to imagine what it would be like to be inside the house, the descriptions of it were so vivd.

With well-fleshed out characters, a creepy house and strange goings on, The Girl Before by JP Delaney will not disappoint if you love a great thriller.

Thanks to Quercus Books, JP Delaney and NetGalley for my ARCs of both the sampler and full format versions of this novel in exchange for an honest review.