• Before She Dies

  • By: Mary Burton
  • Narrated by: Johanna Parker
  • Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,050 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
Before She Dies  By  cover art

Before She Dies

By: Mary Burton
Narrated by: Johanna Parker
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.62

Buy for $17.62

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

In death, they are purified. Holding his victims under water, he washes away their sins as they struggle for their last breath. Then he stakes their bodies to the ground, exposing them for what they really are: witches, sent to tempt and to corrupt.

No one knows about defence attorney Charlotte Wellington's murdered sister, or about her childhood spent with the carnival that's just arrived in town. For Charlotte, what's past is past. But others don't agree. And as a madman's body count rises, she and Detective Daniel Rokov are drawn into a mission that's become terrifyingly personal.

©2012 Mary Burton (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"[A] well-paced thriller with a gloss of romance." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Before She Dies

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    646
  • 4 Stars
    309
  • 3 Stars
    77
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    7
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    638
  • 4 Stars
    232
  • 3 Stars
    69
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    7
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    579
  • 4 Stars
    278
  • 3 Stars
    76
  • 2 Stars
    14
  • 1 Stars
    4

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Book

This is the first book I’ve ever read by Mary Burton, and I have to say I was awe-struck. This was a really good book. Usually, when I read books about carnivals, I don’t see the other side of things like I did in this book. You never think about how shady some people can be and how their lives are changed by all the traveling and hardship associated with the state fairs and carnivals. All you think about when you go to the fair are the rides, the good food, games, and the cotton candy. In this book, you learn a little bit more about the lifestyle and how people who are not a part of the carny life see them. I never thought to look down my nose at someone for being a carny; I just thought it was fun to go to the fair, ride the rides, eat the food, buy things, play the games just to loose, and try to con someone into giving me a stuffed animal that I could never hope to win. It’s fun and exciting as a kid, and as an adult, you take your kids, or your niece, in my case, and you find a moment of happiness in seeing them enjoy themselves. This book gives you a whole different view of the carnival life.

Okay, enough about that. The book was great. From the start I was enthralled, snapped up and pulled into the action, the character’s lives, their past, the case, and the investigation. Usually, when I read a good mystery, I get caught up in the mystery and who did it; this time, I was caught up in everything. The whole book was a kind of mystery. Secrets are revealed throughout the book, people’s lives are at stake, and you’re not really so much worried about who the killer is as much as you are about the characters and their lives. I was so caught up in Grace, the lead female’s life and all the secrets she kept that I nearly forgot to try to figure it all out. In the end, it didn’t even matter because I didn’t guess right anyway. Well, the killer was on my suspect list, but I kept saying, “No, it can’t be that person.” Then all is revealed and I’m going, “seriously, this is really happening.” There was a little mysticism thrown in there for even more mystery and thought provoking moments. I really enjoyed the book altogether, and I was a little disappointed when it ended because I wanted to keep knowing the characters, to keep learning about their lives and their pasts. This will be a book I’ll remember for a long time; I know I’ll more than likely read it again.

I liked the narration. I’ve never listened to anything that was read by Johanna Parker before. I liked her voice and how she read the book. She did read in a solemn tone for most of the book, but the book’s subject matter was a solemn issue. Murder and mayhem isn’t something to be upbeat about; however, I knew who the characters were as she read their dialogue, and she did a good job with male voices as well as female voices. She did a good job showing the characters’ personalities through intonation.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

If you like Karen Rose, this book is for you!!

Would you consider the audio edition of Before She Dies to be better than the print version?

Hmmm...I don't know, I love to read, just don't have as much time lately.
But it's excellent!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Sooner...she's so strong and smart for an 18 yr old...she's had to grow up so fast.

Which character – as performed by Johanna Parker – was your favorite?

Daniel...even though it was a woman performing, she did an amazing job conveying his character, his thoughts and concerns. Sometimes a narrators voices will make me miss the emotion because they don't do men well. This was great!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes! When Charlotte admits her past to Daniel, and she expects to him hate her, or at the very least be disgusted. And he's not ~ he feels for the child she once was.

Any additional comments?

Just that this is my first Mary Burton book, and I loved it ~ I'm looking forward to more!
I wish there were more in Audio...and the partners book should be coming out next. I'll be getting that one for sure!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining

Would you consider the audio edition of Before She Dies to be better than the print version?

I believe it would be,because of the reader. I liked her rendition very much.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Before She Dies?

I suppose the final scene where Grace and Sooner are held hostage.

Have you listened to any of Johanna Parker’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. I can't remember the title. The book was by the same author. She read that well too.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

It was in the beginning when Mariah was murdered. I could hardly listen it was so horrible.

Any additional comments?

If you are wanting a suspenseful listen I can't recommend this author enough. The reader Ms. Parker is also excellent.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Poor, bland narration, doesn't keep your interest

Johanna Parker is lively, animated, and entertaining in the Sookie Stackhouse books, everything she is not in this story. At times it seems like she is rushing through the sentences. The reading was so poor, I couldn't continue past the first 45 minutes of the story. I'd rather read the book myself. I can't even say if the story is engaging, since the reading turns you away.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • KB
  • 06-29-20

I like it!

Good story and easy to listen to. Good thriller with interesting twists. Not too over the top on romance.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Same old same old

Unfortunately I guessed all the plot line in first 2 hours of book. Maybe I need to try another genre. Narrator was good, that fact saved me finishing it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Before she dies

Loved this book!!! Very interesting from the start and stayed that way the whole book !! Can't wait to read more of her books!!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

wow, I did not see that ending

love Rockoff grandma!! The story has many twists and turns. I couldn't stop listening, had to hear who the killer is. Not who I thought it was. Good story!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not sure.....

I love Mary Burton books, but i have to confess, I only got through an hour of this one. The narrator was so monotone, without a lot of inflection or animation for the different characters. I kept nodding off while listening.

I still gave the book four stars overall, because I love Mary Burton. Recommend you read the book instead of listening though.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Twists and turns

Before she dies was a good read I enjoyed how Mary Barton had us guessing giving us clues here and there, but you really don’t know until the end. Love Joanna Parker, and highly suggest this Read. 

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!