Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf

By theprairiesbookreview on January 1, 2019 • ( 0 )

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A compelling read with unseen twists…one of Gudenkauf’s best!

Gudenkauf’s intricately plotted novel packs a lot of unpleasant happenings into a few unhappy winter days in a small rural town in Iowa. Twelve-year-old Cora Landry is found bloody, viciously beaten on the train tracks near the abandoned rail yard on the outskirts of the town. Her two friends who were supposed to be with her at the Landry house for a sleepover are nowhere to be seen. Who could hate a little girl so much that she is almost near dead? Whereas the town residents presume Cora’s attacker to be a stranger, the police have their own idea. Soon, two of Cora’s classmates are arrested for attempted murder, and the investigation becomes a big mess where everyone is a suspect. Gudenkauf expertly explores the themes of friendship, the betrayal and the power of social pressure, and the price of needing to fit in. It is also about the great lengths a parent can go to protect their child and keep them safe—even if that means burying the truth at others’ cost. Gudenkauf is immensely gifted when it comes to moving the story forward at a fast pace. The story is narrated by different characters, but their voices fall short of being distinctive. The sections are brief, making it hard to keep track of the exact happenings in the story. Despite that, the narration is arresting, and the author is adept at building immense tension. Gudenkauf’s characters have this tendency to get under your skin. There is a particular darkness to characters’ thoughts and actions that some readers might find too unsettling. An arresting read with page-turning twists.