Before You Knew My Name

A Novel

By: Jacqueline Bublitz

Narrated by: Penelope Rawlins

Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Winner of Crime Debut and Readers’ Choice Awards—Sisters in Crime

“A brave and timely novel.” (Clare Mackintosh, internationally bestselling author of Hostage)

This is not just another novel about a dead girl. Two women—one alive, one dead—are brought together in the dark underbelly of New York City to solve a tragic murder.

When she arrived in New York on her eighteenth birthday carrying nothing but $600 cash and a stolen camera, Alice Lee was looking for a fresh start. Now, just one month later, she is the city’s latest Jane Doe. She may be dead but that doesn’t mean her story is over.

Meanwhile, Ruby Jones is also trying to reinvent herself. After travelling halfway around the world, she’s lonelier than ever in the Big Apple. Until she stumbles upon a woman’s body by the Hudson River, and suddenly finds herself unbreakably tied to the unknown dead woman.

Alice is sure Ruby is the key to solving the mystery of her short life and tragic death. Ruby just wants to forget what she saw…but she can’t seem to stop thinking about the young woman she found. If she keeps looking, can she give this unidentified Jane Doe the ending and closure she deserves?

A “heartbreaking, beautiful, and hugely important novel” (Rosie Walsh, New York Times bestselling author), Before You Knew My Name doesn’t just wonder whodunnit—it also asks who was she? And what did she leave behind?

©2021 Jacqueline Bublitz. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK. All rights reserved.

Incredible story

This book will stay with me a long time. One of the best I’ve read recently!

This was a great story to follow

I enjoyed this book! I enjoyed the focus of the main characters and their stories and how they flowed together.

Good book

It took awhile for me to get into but halfway through I got into it. Enjoyed the book.

Excellent

Well written, poignant look at death. At friendships. At commitment. At fate. Can’t wait for this author’s next book.

Intriguing

An evocative story of a dead girl from small-town USA and a woman from Australia who discovers her body. Told from both their points of view, you learn what leads up to the Alice’s sexual assault and murder, the discovery of her body and then its intense effect on Ruby-who found her. A few triggers; parental suicide, underage drinking, and sexual abuse.

Very touching story about life and death

I loved the story, and I loved how I felt differently about the characters, throughout each part of the story. I enjoyed the descriptions, but felt that around chapters 5 to 7 there was so much attention focused to descriptions that the story progression stalled, and almost considered giving up on the book I did, however, like and enjoy the descriptions as the storyline finally progressed. There were moments in the book, where I simply wanted to yell “no don’t do it”, or “stay away” or “go back”, overall it was a very touching story about life and death and the choices we make 

Really good

Could have been great except it felt like it lost steam at the end after the arrest of the killer. Maybe a little better editing

Entertaining book

The book was interesting, but a little odd that a “ghost”is telling the story. I would recommend it.

Really good!

Well thought out. I enjoyed this story I think it was well written and from a perspective from someone who understands what it’s like to suffer from abuse but still have the instinct to trust and look for the good in people

2/3 in Don’t want to finish it

A few things : the narration doesn’t work for me at all . Big casting failure or big direction failure imo . cartoonish from the voice of Alice to the dreadful art teacher and the ridiculous Archie ( even if Archie is ridiculous) .
I’ve also realized that any novel of regarding missing and murdered women or children will need to be considered necessary and brilliant by at least 3 of my favorite writers. The writing is ok, but story is dragging on and I don’t think I can listen to these caricatures much more . There’s still a chance this could improve but not enough to waste 3 more hours .