Book Spotlight - Before Us - Jane E. James

Book Spotlight: Before Us - Jane E. James - October 2025

Before Us by Jane E. James is one of those deliciously unsettling reads that makes you question everything. You know that feeling when you walk into a house and something just feels... off? That's this entire book, and I was absolutely HERE for it.

The premise hooked me immediately: a family moves into 13 Rutland Terrace hoping for a fresh start, but from day one, things aren't right. The daughter won't go near the cellar. The dog is losing its mind. And then our protagonist discovers a photograph of the previous family — a family that looks eerily similar to theirs. Except the woman in the photo? She looks absolutely terrified.

What follows is a spiral of suspicion, secrets, and jaw-dropping twists that had me reading way past my bedtime (sorry not sorry to my responsibilities the next day). Jane E. James knows exactly how to ratchet up the tension, and just when you think you've figured it out, she pulls the rug out from under you.

The real genius here is how the house itself becomes a character — oppressive, knowing, keeping its dark secrets close. And that line about the husband not being who he used to be? Chef's kiss to the creeping dread that creates.

If you're a fan of Freida McFadden's twisty domestic thrillers, B.A. Paris's suburban suspense, or Lisa Jewell's ability to make the ordinary feel sinister, you absolutely need to add this to your TBR pile. It's the perfect curl-up-under-a-blanket-with-all-the-lights-on kind of read.

Fair warning: you might side-eye your own house a bit after finishing this one. But that's half the fun, right?

Genre: Psychological Thriller / Suspense
Perfect for: Fans of domestic thrillers, haunted house vibes (with a twist), and "what's really going on here?!" reads 

Amazon Link : https://amzn.to/4ovW1u5