Review: Before She was Helen - Caroline.B.Cooney

Review: Before She Was Helen - Caroline B. Cooney - May 2020

When I saw that Caroline B. Cooney had written a new book, I requested to read it immediately as I had grown up on her Face on the Milk Carton series and absolutely adored the books and the movies. It still is one of my favorites to this day and I watch the movie once every now and again.  Before she was Helen was a book that I wasn't sure what it would be about and I went in blind. I have to admit it was an odd sort of reading and it had a thriller aspect to it but not at the same time which is why I've put it under women's fiction as a category as it was hard to explain. The book starts off with a lady we know as Clementine living in a retirement village yet the women there called her Helen which I have to admit I found confusing as at first, I thought it might have been her middle name - but then it wasn't. Clem's neighbor Dom didn't text her this morning as he normally does and she gets worried he is dead, she heads next door and there is no sign of him. The strange thing though as she goes into the garage is that there is a door built there that connects Dom's and the Corgan's houses together. Clem peeks in and sees a strange vase sitting on the table and takes a photo to send to her grand-nephew and niece. Turns out the vase is actually a weed rig and was stolen from a drug dealer who will do anything to get it back. So we have that storyline beginning, then Clem is sent an article about an old murder case re-opening. The guy who was murdered is why Clementine changed her name and we are taken back in the past to the first time she met Mr. Creek at High School to the present time. We also catch glimpses of how Clementine became Helen and about the son she gave up for adoption - Billy Boone and his family to present times.  Before She was Helen was quite a jam-packed novel and had so many different storylines running through and lots of characters and I felt the latter part of the book became a bit too busy for my liking as it was confusing trying to keep up with everyone involved in the book.  Before She was Helen is one of those reads that if you haven't got anything else to read, then pick this book up otherwise you may want to move along unless you enjoy busy novels and can keep up with what's happening unlike myself. Before She was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney is coming soon - May 2020.