Book Review of The Girl Before by JP Delaney

The Girl Before by JP Delaney is supposed to build suspense by unspooling the story of what happened to Emma before, when she moved into a strange house with even more bizarre rules for occupancy, and what is happening to Jane now, as she puts herself in the same position. It is supposed to contrast a hazy portrait of the house's enigmatic architect with stark, seemingly never-ending descriptions of the house itself.

Instead, it includes more description of this imaginary house than if it were a real one featured in latest issue of Minimalissimo magazine, echoing the psychological torture experienced by Emma and Jane with the very real torture experienced by Delaney's readers, as they are treated to yet another page about the technological features of the house, the imposing exterior of the house, the neighbors' objections to the house, and the interior of the house. One wonders why Delaney didn't just include a blueprint of One Folgate Street and get it over with. Not only does this counteract the suspense the dual narratives are obviously trying to build, it pours the cold water of boredom over any smoldering concern readers may feel for either Jane or Emma, and the vicarious panic they might otherwise experience.

Ultimately, The Girl Before doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a suspense novel written by someone obsessed with minimalist architecture? Is it wordy ad for One Folgate Street, with two threads of unneeded prose woven in? Either way, it fails at both.