Penned against a backdrop of mystery, small-town secrets, and international intrigue, J. Kilburn's thoughtful coming-of-age novel will leave you re-examining the sunny streets of your own neighborhood.
Before: A Novel
takes your average teenagers, gives them family and community, and then plausibly and seamlessly drops them into international intrigue in a small New England college town. These teens go about their sweet and sordid adventures blissfully unaware of their role in larger and more complicated regional events. J. Kilburn's genre-bending tale is a coming-of-age story, but it's also a story about international Organized Crime and the role that small-town folks, your neighbors, your loved ones, and even the Honors Student next door might play in that dark and dangerous world.
Before
was enthusiastically received by Editorial Reviewers:
(The dialogue in J. Kilburn's novel
is) "...probably among the top one percent in its sarcasm and authenticity. Nell Zink and the novel Nicotine come to mind...." 5 Stars! - Jamie Michele for
Reader's Favorite
This insightful community, teen and family drama would also be great reading for fans of Jodi Picoult, Chris Bohjalian and Joyce Carol Oates.