Before He Finds Her

Julia Whelan's winsome voice and capable delivery take listeners into a puzzling crime thriller. "He" is Ramsay Miller, a father who presumably killed his wife and 3-year-old daughter and disappeared. "Her" is the daughter--who is not dead after all. Fifteen years later, she comes out of hiding and begins looking for her father. Was he crazy when his wife was killed? Will father and daughter find each other? Unfortunately, it takes too long to find out, and listeners may lose patience. Whelan makes the wait less painful and by giving in-depth portraits of the characters and their soul-searching. The book's ending is somewhat disappointing, but that's not Whelan's fault. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

Starred review from December 1, 2014
Kardos (The Three-Day Affair) delivers another outstanding crime thriller with this complex and moving account of a young woman trying to make sense of her past and craft a viable future. In 1991, Ramsey Miller murdered his wife, Allison, after hosting a block party at their home in Silver Bay, N.J. The people in this Jersey Shore town also believed he murdered his three-year-old daughter, Meg. In fact, the authorities spirited Meg away and put her in a witness protection program to protect her from her father. Fifteen years later, she lives under the alias Melanie Denison, with her uncle and aunt in Fredonia, W.Va. Since Ramsey is still at large, Melanie is allowed only limited contact with the outside world. Chafing at these restrictions, Melanie begins to challenge them, a rebellion that includes having an affair. The discovery that she’s pregnant leads her to search for her father so that her child can have a normal life, free of fear and restrictions. Sophisticated characterizations enhance the intricately constructed story line. Agent: Jody Klein, Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents.