“Before she was Helen” Caroline B. Cooney

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. ebook. Poisoned Pen Press (Sourcebooks). To be published September 8, 2020.

Clementine lives in Sun City, a neighborhood of retired senior citizens who play cards and hang out. She liked it there because everyone was friendly, and no one cared about her past. Being anonymous was good when you had three different identities and a 50-year-old secret to keep.

When her next-door neighbor turns up missing, and a body is found, Clemmie is in the middle of a police investigation. As her past threatens to meet up with her present, Clemmie relives the years of abuse and heartache during her teen years that drove her to a solitary life. With nowhere to turn she will, once again, have to rely on herself to find a way out of chaos in order to live freely again.

Caroline B. Cooney always leaves you on the edge of your seat, and this book will do the same. I gnashed my teeth at what happened to Clemmie during her teen years, and worried about her secrets. Cooney makes Clementine so personable I felt as if I knew her. As a result I was invested in her story, which is the sign of a good author.

Highly recommended for Adults.

I received a digital advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.