Before I Say I Do by Vicki Bradley

Published : 28th May 2020

Publisher : Simon & Schuster UK

Format : Kindle, Audio, Paperback

Genre : Thriller

Synopsis

HER DREAM WEDDING

IS ABOUT TO BECOME A NIGHTMARE

It’s Julia’s wedding day. Her nerves are to be expected – every bride feels the same – but there’s another layer to her fear, one that she cannot explain to her soon-to-be husband, Mark. She’s never told him the details – and she is determined he never finds out.

As she begins down the aisle, spotting Mark in his tailored suit, she knows she is taking her first steps to happiness – her past is behind her, it can’t catch her now. Mark turns to face her . . .

But it isn’t Mark in the beautiful suit – it’s his best man.

Because Mark is missing.

And Julia’s past is closer than she thinks . . .

Thank you Anne Cater for the blog tour invitation and also to Simon & Schuster for this gripping and twisty read.

My Review

This was a great twisty read. The plot is extremely intense and packed full of mind guessing. I was forever second guessing Julias character and was floored with the twist at the end.

Julia is all set to marry Mark. She and her best friend Lucy are at the chapel and they are about to head into the main aisle. Both Julia and Lucy have a past, a past that they have both worked so hard to move on from and forget, this is Julias chance to try again and start fresh with a man that she loves and who adores her back. But as they walk towards the chapel something isn't right and Julia soon realises that there is a big problem. Mark is missing and no one knows where he is.

The story takes you back and forth between Julia and Alana, a police detective who has been demoted from the murder team due to an unforeseen circumstance so is therefore hell bent on getting this case right and prove she can be trusted.

Alana and her partner are handling the missing person case and neither really believe Julias count of events and there are a few suspects along the way.

Lots of shocks come Julias way, she finds out Mark had not been as honest as he appeared and that he also had plenty of demons of his own that she was completely oblivious to.

Every other chapter sends you back to the past and slowly reveals in-between the story the big secret that Julia is hiding from and the traumatic event that caused her to change her identity and start all over again.

This was an extremely clever written story that builds you slowly to the big finale in a perfect way. The author manages to throw you entirely off the scent, annoyingly I did think I had guessed half way through who the culprit was but was convicted otherwise... until I reached the twist and realised I was right all along! I would never have bet that I was right though.

Why I Loved It

This was an extremely twisty story. I did not expect the twist coming towards the end and even more so loved how the ending wasn't what everyone would probably be expecting. If you love a thriller then this one has it all. An intense, suspenseful plot that keeps you second guessing all the way through.

Rating

★★★★☆

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Meet the author

Vicki Bradley is a detective constable in the Metropolitan Police Service. She has had a varied career, as a uniformed response driver in Brent and then as a detective Constable in Southwark CID. She has managed High Risk Sex Offenders and worked on the Serious Organised Crime Command. She is currently on a 5-year career creak to focus on her writing.

Vicki completed a Creative Writing MA at City University in 2016. Before I Say I Do won the Write Here, Right Now competition, came 3rd in the First Novel Prize and has been shortlisted for the Virago New Crime Writer 2017 and Peters Fraser and Dunlop Prize 2016. She enjoys travelling the world and climbing mountains. Vicki lives in London with her husband.