Beyond the Book with Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf
This month we are going Beyond the Book with Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf (DB96617). Before She Was Found is “a gripping thriller about three young girlfriends, a dark obsession and a chilling crime that shakes up a quiet Iowa town. For twelve-year-old Cora Landry and her friends Violet and Jordyn, it was supposed to be an ordinary sleepover–movies and Ouija and talking about boys. But when they decide to sneak out to go to the abandoned rail yard on the outskirts of town, little do they know that their innocent games will have dangerous consequences. Later that night, Cora Landry is discovered on the tracks, bloody and clinging to life, her friends nowhere to be found. Soon their small rural town is thrust into a maelstrom. Who would want to hurt a young girl like Cora–and why? In an investigation that leaves no stone unturned, everyone is a suspect and no one can be trusted–not even those closest to Cora. Before She Was Found is a timely and gripping thriller about friendship and betrayal, about the power of social pressure and the price of needing to fit in. It is about the great lengths a parent will go to protect their child and keep them safe–even if that means burying the truth, no matter the cost.”–Provided by publisher.
Heather Gudenkauf is a bestselling author of many mystery/thriller books. She currently lives in Dubuque, Iowa with her family. But she spent a lot of her childhood in Mason City, Iowa and graduated from the University of Iowa. I was able to hear Ms. Gudenkauf speak recently at the Iowa Library Association Annual Conference and she is a very calming, insightful speaker. She possesses a great love of libraries and talked about her many memories using libraries throughout her life, especially the Mason City Public Library. This summer she did an interview series with other bestselling authors and their pets called Sidekicks and Sidetrips. It’s a fun, entertaining way to learn about other authors. You can find these interviews on her website heathergudenkauf.com. If you like mysteries, Heather Gudenkauf is the author for you!
Next time we will go Beyond the Book with Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed (DB74646). Ms. Strayed recounts the three-month, 1,100-mile solo hike she took on a whim in 1995, after years of devastating personal losses. She describes her encounters with rattlesnakes, locals, fellow hikers, and her own thoughts during her trek from Los Angeles to Washington State on the Pacific Crest Trail. Call the library to request this book and we can take her journey together. Once you have read it, call or email with your review or thoughts. You might hear your words in the next Beyond the Book segment in the January Library News. We would love to hear from you! Call 515.452.1329 or email library@blind.state.ia.us.
Thanks for reading with us!