The Ones Before: Book One of the Discovery Trilogy (1)

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All in all, a very enjoyable read with a satisfying ending. I look forward to reading more books by Miranda Smith. I loved the small town setting and Regina’s cutting gossipy remarks about its inhabitants. I wonder if it was a little Easter egg of Mean girls using that name and if as a schoolgirl she had a burn book. This is a town divided on the guilt/innocence of Cooper’s involvement in Celia’s death. I found this to be an ok read. Cooper comes from a wealthy family and he brings his fiancée, Madison to his hometown of Whisper Falls to live. There is a mystery as to why Madison wanted to leave her job and friends in the city, but, when the secret is revealed it’s a bit of a let down. In fact, I found the whole book a tad formulaic and the writing style bland. Cooper has a job lined up running things at the family newspaper but Madison has nothing planned, other than the wedding. As things begin to unravel for Madison and Cooper, the tension in this book begins to be wound very tightly, thus making this to be quite a thrilling read. Actually, the story begins to take on a chilling effect as events of the past begin to clash with what is going on currently for the couple. So much so that I was completely thrown off. I loved that Madison did not take things at face value, even if it meant there was the possibility for her to discover things were not as they seemed.

I’ve moved to my fiancé Cooper’s hometown on the shores of a beautiful lake. His family have welcomed me with open arms. We’re planning the summer wedding I’ve always dreamed of. Storytelling and writing has always been F.D. Brant’s passion, but responsibilities took preference. And because of those responsibilities it took retiring to allow those passions to come to fruition. Since retiring he has written 8 books, and maintains a weekly eclectic blog, Words in the Wind.Madison and her fiancee, Cooper, make a move to his hometown. She's more than happy .. his family has welcomed her, and Cooper has a future in running the family newspaper. Starting with Celia we get a glimpse of the day before she died, then we fast forward to Madison about to move to Whisper Falls with her fiancé Cooper for a fresh start. She’s jobless due to her career as a journalist being destroyed and he comes from a wealthy prominent family and is about to take over the running of The Gazette, the family newspaper. But the week after I arrive, one of Cooper’s classmates corners me at the store. She says that Cooper’s not fooling anybody. Everyone in town remembers what happened to Celia Gray…

The myths have always been. They speak of an ancient people far advanced of where they are today. Yet, nothing has been found to show the Ones Before had ever existed, or lived sometime in the deep past. Still, those in the present time had to come from somewhere, why not the Ones Before? Why hasn't Cooper mentioned any of this to her? Is it because he's guilty of both crimes? Or is he a victim of circumstance.One of my favourite authors… Compelling… Kept me guessing. I read this in one sitting, I just couldn't put it down and I had to know the truth.” Book Candles Cats, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

She hears rumors around town. She feels unsettled. Should she ask questions and risk disrupting her new life? Should she believe the loving man that has always supported her or strangers that love to gossip? That's not the only crime he's been accused of. A girl he was dating in college disappeared and has never been found. The girl's mother tells Madison that she's sure that Cooper killed her. Celia was Cooper’s high school sweetheart, who died in a tragic accident the year they graduated. But some people think it was no accident. That my kind, loving husband is a killer.I want to thank the publisher "Bookouture" an Netgalley for the opportunity to read this terrific AVC and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone! Madison starts to dig a bit deeper as something doesn’t feel right and unbeknownst to her, there’s someone plotting revenge for the death of Celia. Madison knows Cooper is a kind, sweet man that could never hurt anyone. All he wants is to give her the life she dreams of and she loves him with all of her heart.

It's not often I read a book in one day but I found this soon to be released book by Miranda Smith impossible to put down. Entertaining with enough mystery to keep the reader interested. Would recommend. I love mysteries/ thrillers that are set in a small town. This story is filled with suspense, family secrets, drama, and small-town gossip. It is mostly told from the perspective of Madison Sharpe who has moved to Whisper Falls with her fiancé, Cooper Douglas. Cooper belongs to the town's most prominent family and has returned to take over the family business. Madison is excited about this new chapter in her life; planning their wedding and turning their house into a home. But it doesn't take her very long to realize that Cooper hasn't been entirely honest with her about his past and he and his family are hiding many secrets. Prior suggests some sort of seniority to me, it is related to 'primo / first'. 'The bank has a prior charge over the property'. Sympathy is granted sparingly; it’s typically reserved for forms of tragedy. An unpreventable illness. An unprovoked crime. We forget most people are the source of their own unhappiness. When you’re the cause of your hardships, people are less willing to forgive.Told mainly from Madison's viewpoint, Miranda Smith did a superb job planting seeds of doubt in the minds of both Madison and myself. Throughout the story's progression, I found myself thrown off course as I struggled to decide whether or not things were as they seemed. All the while the tension was being ratcheted up as I was taken on a merry-go-round of past and present occurrences. Another narrative, a lady claiming her daughter was killed by Cooper. Cooper definitely has some enemies, which is seems oblivious too, but his family is respected and influential. Madison gets more confused as she learns more about her fiancee’s past and Douglas family’s secrets. Are they capable to bury all the evidence against them? Could Helen tell the truth? Could caring, loving Cooper have another personality that he hides from Madison? Is she in danger by not cancelling her marriage plan? Well, there are two twists I didn’t see it coming which executed so cleverly. I foresaw some revelations but they were still well played. The story kept me in toes. And I loved both Helen and Madison’s well developed, connectable characterizations.