Before the Ruins

A Novel

By: Victoria Gosling

Narrated by: Kristin Atherton

Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Victoria Gosling's Before the Ruins is a gripping, multilayered debut in the tradition of Paula Hawkins and Tana French about four friends, an abandoned manor, and one fateful night that will follow them for the rest of their lives

That summer, there were four of them, all on the cusp of adulthood: Andy, her boyfriend, Marcus, her best friend, Peter, and Em, whiling away the hours in a deserted manor house with a rich, sordid history. Sorely without the ambition and opportunities that her friends have always counted on, Andy finds herself terrified of a future that will take them all down very different paths. Her newfound fears make her reckless, resulting in increasingly destructive behavior. Then David shows up.

Magnetic, worldly, and on the run from the police, David presents an irresistible lure for both Andy and Peter, pitting the two lifelong friends against each other for the first time. When the group learns that a diamond necklace, stolen 50 years ago, might still be somewhere on the manor grounds, the Game - half treasure hunt, half friendly deception - begins. But the Game becomes much bigger than the necklace, growing to encompass years of secrets, lies, and, ultimately, one terrible betrayal.

Decades later, Andy and Peter struggle to maintain their friendship, meeting only to drink to the past and trying not to talk about what happened at the manor. But when Peter goes missing, Andy is thrust back to that summer - with all of its frantic energy, yearning, and loss - and the mysteries that still haven't been solved.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company

©2020 Victoria Gosling (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

Not sure

I liked parts of this book a lot, mostly the storyline/mystery aspect. The story goes back and forth between times and this can get confusing sometimes. Also in the middle, she drones on and on... just too much description and detail. Also in the middle the main character just ruminates with no end in sight. Finally it picks up at the end. I liked the characters a lot and the narrator did a good job.

Lovely haunting (non-ghost) story

I started this as a physical book, and realized pretty quickly that it's the sort of writing best savored instead of gulped, so I purchased the audiobook. I'm glad I did. This story fit the genre-typical trope. Some scenes from when the main character is young and the mystery unfolds, other scenes in present day where the main character tries to solve the mystery (and a second mystery too, naturally). But it is not Harlan-Coben style twisty yet shallow. It is not Ruth Ware-style Agatha Christie where the whodunit is the theme. It's mostly reflective, with a strong cast of well realized characters- and not just the 5 18-year-olds goofing about illegally in the grand mansion. Very much English, with talk of vicars & hedgerows & lots of class consciousness.
The mystery I kinda figured out, kinda didn't and it was quite satisfying. I enjoyed this book.

Why

I never understand how authors can sit and write a book with no likeable main characters. They are all the most horrible human beings.

The story itself isn't bad, but no action or build up. Just a slow moving story. An extended amount of time with those awful people. I'd say more about it but it gives away the menial mystery.

I'd say this is just a dramatic British novel. Definitely not suspense thriller.

Disappointing

The story was too drawn out and the ending was quite abrupt and unsatisfying.