Before She Was Found: A Novel

Before She Was Found — a gripping thriller by New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf — follows three twelve-year-old girls whose innocent sleepover turns into a nightmare.

Cora Landry, Violet, and Jordyn plan a night of movies, Ouija, and gossip—but a late-night trip to an abandoned rail yard changes everything. Hours later, Cora is found on the tracks, bloody and barely alive, while her friends have vanished.

As the quiet Iowa town reels, secrets unravel and everyone becomes a suspect. Who would harm a child—and why?

Blending themes of friendship, betrayal, and the dark pull of social pressure, Before She Was Found explores the lengths parents will go to protect their children—and the devastating cost of hidden truths.

Also by Heather Gudenkauf: The Weight of Silence, These Things Hidden, One Breath Away, Little Mercies, Missing Pieces, Not a Sound, This Is How I Lied, and The Overnight Guest.