Book Review: The Girl She Was Before by Jess Kitching

Nat lives a picture-perfect life, but it wasn’t always this way. A victim of horrific bullying when she was a teenager, Nat will do anything to keep distance between the girl she was before and the woman she is now.

But when her best friend is murdered and people begin to point their finger at her, Nat’s new life quickly begins to unravel.

To Nat, it’s no surprise that the crime happened at the same time as the return of her biggest tormentor, Chrissy Summers. A woman with a violent streak who destroyed lives when she was younger and isn’t afraid to do it again.

Face to face with the past she so firmly keeps behind her, Nat’s sanity wavers as her determination to reveal Chrissy as the monster she knows her as rises to dangerous heights.

The question is, can Nat prove Chrissy is a killer, or will Chrissy get to Nat and her family before she has the chance?

You can’t outrun the past…

*****

Nat has a perfect life. As an online influencer, the perception of perfect is important.

However, her life wasn’t always like that, having been subjected to horrible bullying as a teenager.

She will do anything to keep her perfect life.

Then her best friend is murdered, and her nemesis returns to town.

When Nat is then accused of murder, her life begins to crumble in a big way.

Wow! That’s the first word that comes to mind. Wow!

From page one, this book doesn’t so much pull you into the action, it pushes you in with both hands.

Told from Nat’s point of view in the present, there are also ‘then’ flashback chapters involving an unnamed schoolgirl and the horrible bullying she’s subjected to by Chrissy Summers and her gang. When I say horrific, I mean totally horrific. When you read it, you’ll know what I mean.

Nat seems to have it together at the beginning. She’s got a husband and child and a group of close friends, but I felt there was something she was holding back – almost like the Instagram vs. reality thing.

As the story progresses, Nat’s world begins to fall apart. She became more of an unreliable narrator and my trust in her faltered. I found this so interesting and so well done. In all honesty, the plot had me questioning everyone and everything.

The tension and suspense slowly builds. There are many twists and turns. I didn’t see the end coming at all.

I know I always say this but there is not much else I can say without giving away huge spoilers. I really do hope many people discover this book. I couldn’t put it down.

The Girl She Was Before is a wonderfully crafted psychological thriller that had me on the edge of my seat.

A brilliant debut. I am looking forward to seeing what Jess Kitching does next.

About Jess Kitching –

Jess Kitching is an avid reader, writer and binge-watcher. Originally from Bradford, England, she currently lives in Sydney with her fiancé Jack.

Her two goals in life were to move to Australia and have a book published. To be able to say she has done both is something she still can’t wrap her head around.

Say hello to Jess on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

Follow Kingsley Publishers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

The Girl She Was Before was released by Kingsley Publishers on 31st October 2021. Click to buy on Amazon UK. 

(Thank you to Jess, Kingsley Publishers and Rachel’s Random Resources for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.) 

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.