Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall Narrator: Ina Barron, Karissa Vacker
Published by MacMillan Audio on February 24, 2026
Genres: Suspense, Thriller
Length: 10 hours, 8 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: NetGalley
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There is a girl in a basement. The door has stopped opening. The light is gone.
Stranger is trapped in the dark, with only her imagination and the scribbles on the wall left by long-dead girls to keep her company. Nearly out of food and water, she makes one last attempt to escape. But if the door opens at last, will it mean salvation, or only the beginning of her fight to survive?
Audrey is a search and rescue expert who never stopped looking for her ex-best friend, Janie, who disappeared when they were teenagers. Janie used to love the local legend of a forest witch who saves girls from bad men, but Audrey knows now that for every one saved, there’s always another one lost. When she stumbles upon evidence in the forest that a teenage runaway might have actually been kidnapped from land belonging to the town’s most prominent family, she will have to dig through decades of secrets to reveal the biggest one of all: what happened to the girls before.
Audrey is our main character. She is a guidance counselor at the high school she attended. Her long-time friend, Len is also back in town as a cop. She has also devoted herself to search and rescue. She has a dog Barry, who flunked in focus, but has some scent skills. Audrey has become a bit obsessed with girls who have gone missing, starting with her best frenemy, Janie, from high school.
Janie always put Audrey down in high school but when she disappeared Audrey felt she should have done more. Audrey works all the searches and keeps notes and tracks information which might lead her to Janie and where she has gone. She is out on a search for a toddler boy and a man points a gun at her to get out of his woods. The searchers have strayed slightly from the state forest since she thought she heard the boy. She is saved by Emily Hill appearing and talking down the man with the gun.
The Hills are a well known family in town. Andrew was a football star and now helps with his late mother’s mission. Melinda has served in Congress, beat cancer, also worked the family mission, and now is looking back at politics. Liam has worked as an actor, and his twin, Emily has always been secluded. Their land is right around the forest also.
Audrey keeps at her questions about the recent missing girl and The Girls Before, trying to figure out where they have gone. Life and death, and a struggle for survival is told through interspersed stories of the searcher, Audrey, and the captive, Stranger.
Narration:
Ina Barron and Karissa Vacker were wonderfully capable at narrating for the two main points of view: Audrey and Stranger. Ina Barron is new to me, but I’ve enjoyed Karissa Vacker for quite awhile. Ina Barron voices desperate and raw weakness of Stranger. Karissa Vacker provides the solid foundation of Audrey who doesn’t give up. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 26-Audio
- 26-COYER
This does sound like a curious mystery.
It’s twisty.
I thought this was a solid mystery and enjoyed it too!
yes it was suspenseful. And who could be trusted?
I’m thinking about adding this one. Great review, Anne💜
It’s suspenseful wondering if the abducted girls will make it out alive. It’s twisty with those from years ago and then new ones.
Color me curious. The narration sounds well done.
yes the voices are well handled. It’s a suspenseful read with twists.
This really does sound intense!