The Girl Before by J.P Delaney - Blog Tour

Today it's my stop on #TheBloggerBefore Blog Tour for The Girl Before by JP Delaney. The Girl Before is being published by Quercus on 26 January 2017. 

Missed yesterday's blog tour stop? Just click here to find Matt's blog. 

Here's my review....

The Girl Before
By J.P Delaney
Published by Quercus (26 January 2017)
ISBN: 978-1786480293

Publisher's description

Enter the world of One Folgate Street and discover perfection... but can you pay the price?

Then

Reeling from a violent break-in, Emma wants a home where she feels safe. Nowhere is quite right until the agent suggests One Folgate Street: ‘It’s not a place that would suit everyone, the landlord is very particular...’ The house is extraordinary, breathtaking but it comes with a set of rules enforced by the enigmatic architect owner. Emma promises her boyfriend Simon that everything will be different when they move in.

Now

Jane is looking for a fresh start and the blank canvas of One Folgate Street seems to offer just that. Not to mention that the architect Edward Monkton is rather attractive. But once she moves in strange things begin to happen and Emma’s past and Jane’s present become inexorably entwined.

My verdict
The Girl Before is another psychological thriller being compared with The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl. The narrative alternates between two vulnerable women: Emma in the past and Jane in the present. The link between them is One Folgate Street, a hi-tech house with strict rules set by the architect who designed and owns the property. At times it felt as if the house itself was alive, monitoring its occupants and hiding secrets from its past.

The mystery element of the book was great, as Jane sets out to discover what happened to Emma, the girl who lived in the house before her. I was intrigued after the first few pages and found the short chapters easy to read. I didn't particularly like any of the characters, but this is certainly a twisted tale with a interesting plot and several surprises.

The only aspect of the book I wasn't so keen on was the dominant nature of the main male character. These two women were completely under Edward Monkton's spell, providing more than a hint of Christian Grey. As with 50 Shades, I couldn't grasp what these women saw in the architect (other than money and 'no commitment' sex, obviously) as there was nothing pleasant about him at all.

I think this is a book that will appeal to the masses. I can understand why this has been snapped up by Hollywood. The combination of the architecture, hi tech property and sexual nature means it will be perfect for the big screen - but I hope they focus on the plot more than the '50 shades' element.

Follow the Blog Tour. Tomorrow it's Laura's turn - click here to find her blog.