A psychological thriller that reveals the treachery of a ruthless stalker, the alarming failure of the legal system and the unthinkable battle a daughter must face to protect her family. Dawn Smith, a vet tech living in rural South Carolina, catches her boyfriend in a series of lies and abruptly ends the relationship. Rather than accepting the break-up, he begins to stalk and harass her, forcing Dawn to seek a restraining order.
Undeterred, he launches a deeply personal attack—suing for guardianship and conservatorship of Dawn’s infirm mother. In court, he manipulates the truth using evidence that he planted while the couple were still dating. And just when Dawn thinks things can’t get any worse, she is faced with an impossible choice: rekindle the relationship or lose her mother forever.
If you haven’t read Liz Lazarus before like me, this book will impress you! It’s a fast-paced (stalker) psychological thriller inspired by real events that’s gripping from the start. It’s not a typical “over the top” stalker thriller, as the story has realistic (and scary) representations of conservatorship abuse, and the ways a manipulator can weaponize the legal system against someone. I was completely invested in Dawn’s fight against her obsessive/psycho ex-boyfriend and a system that fails to protect her. And for you trope lovers, there’s an abundance—master manipulator villain, strong female protagonist, discredited victim, evidence manipulation, courtroom drama, bureaucratic nightmare, and more!
Told from Dawn’s third-person POV, you get to witness all her emotions, terror, and frustration—and I was very invested! She’s a very compassionate protagonist, evident in her work as a vet tech and devotion to her mother, Marie. At the start, she’s trying to move on from boyfriend Stuart when she meets Nick, who seems so thoughtful and charming. I was frustrated with some of her impulsive choices and ignoring of red flags, but they definitely made her feel human. Nick becomes increasingly unlikable, and you (like me) may have strong reactions to his actions. The story is very well structured, and his seeds of manipulation are carefully planted long before you fully realize what he has planned for Dawn—so buckle your seatbelts for a wild ride!
The conservatorship battle involving Marie is compelling, especially knowing that parts of the story were inspired by real events. The courtroom scenes are full of drama and tension, and they feel scarily realistic. I found myself getting angry alongside Dawn as she encounters loopholes and evidence manipulation that allow Nick to maintain power over her. I loved her workplace colleagues at the veterinary clinic, who play key roles throughout the story and support Dawn when needed—definitely a found-family vibe, but still very realistic!
With very short chapters, strong momentum throughout, and just under 300 pages, you can easily finish this in a day. The climax is thrilling, and the aftermath is suspenseful and satisfying, delivering much-needed karmic justice that will have you cheering! Afterward, I was still thinking about the book’s themes of conservatorship abuse, restraining orders, and failures within the legal system—and these topics make this one great for a buddy read or a book club!
Narrator Performance
Dawn Before Darkness is narrated by seasoned voice actor Jill Smith. She portrays protagonist Dawn with a warm, expressive voice that perfectly matches her compassionate nature as a vet tech and caregiver to her mother. In Dawn’s inner monologues, as she experiences fear, frustration, and heartbreak, Smith subtly shifts her tone to reflect just how emotional and resilient she is, making you feel every moment alongside her. For antagonist Nick, Smith uses a confident, charming voice that gradually becomes more unsettling.
A highlight of the performance is how Smith shifts the dynamic between Dawn and Nick. Their early interactions come across as natural and intimate, but as soon as Dawn discovers Nick’s lies, Smith makes his dialogue sound increasingly manipulative, menacing, and threatening—and all the unfolding drama and suspense will keep you hooked to your headset!
Smith also does a fantastic job giving distinct voices to the large cast of supporting characters, including a vulnerable, loving voice for Dawn’s mother, Marie, which perfectly captures her deteriorating health, as well as convincing accents for several of Dawn’s coworkers. The courtroom scenes are another highlight. Smith narrates these scenes with intensity and emotion—and you’ll feel all of Dawn’s anger and helplessness as injustice after injustice is thrown her way. The back-and-forth between the prosecution and defense often feels like a movie playing in your mind.
The climactic chapters are narrated with thrilling intensity and had me on the edge of my seat. By the final chapters, you’ll feel like you’ve gone through a marathon of emotions with Dawn and will be relieved to see how it all ends—and you’ll be recommending this audiobook to thriller fans as soon as you finish!
Narrator Performance
Dawn Before Darkness is narrated by seasoned voice actor Jill Smith. She portrays protagonist Dawn with a warm, expressive voice that perfectly matches her compassionate nature as a vet tech and caregiver to her mother. In Dawn’s inner monologues, as she experiences fear, frustration, and heartbreak, Smith subtly shifts her tone to reflect just how emotional and resilient she is, making you feel every moment alongside her. For antagonist Nick, Smith uses a confident, charming voice that gradually becomes more unsettling.
A highlight of the performance is how Smith shifts the dynamic between Dawn and Nick. Their early interactions come across as natural and intimate, but as soon as Dawn discovers Nick’s lies, Smith makes his dialogue sound increasingly manipulative, menacing, and threatening—and all the unfolding drama and suspense will keep you hooked to your headset!
Smith also does a fantastic job giving distinct voices to the large cast of supporting characters, including a vulnerable, loving voice for Dawn’s mother, Marie, which perfectly captures her deteriorating health, as well as convincing accents for several of Dawn’s coworkers. The courtroom scenes are another highlight. Smith narrates these scenes with intensity and emotion—and you’ll feel all of Dawn’s anger and helplessness as injustice after injustice is thrown her way. The back-and-forth between the prosecution and defense often feels like a movie playing in your mind.
The climactic chapters are narrated with thrilling intensity and had me on the edge of my seat. By the final chapters, you’ll feel like you’ve gone through a marathon of emotions with Dawn and will be relieved to see how it all ends—and you’ll be recommending this audiobook to thriller fans as soon as you finish!
Dawn Before Darkness is narrated by seasoned voice actor Jill Smith. She portrays protagonist Dawn with a warm, expressive voice that perfectly matches her compassionate nature as a vet tech and caregiver to her mother. In Dawn’s inner monologues, as she experiences fear, frustration, and heartbreak, Smith subtly shifts her tone to reflect just how emotional and resilient she is, making you feel every moment alongside her. For antagonist Nick, Smith uses a confident, charming voice that gradually becomes more unsettling.
A highlight of the performance is how Smith shifts the dynamic between Dawn and Nick. Their early interactions come across as natural and intimate, but as soon as Dawn discovers Nick’s lies, Smith makes his dialogue sound increasingly manipulative, menacing, and threatening—and all the unfolding drama and suspense will keep you hooked to your headset!
Smith also does a fantastic job giving distinct voices to the large cast of supporting characters, including a vulnerable, loving voice for Dawn’s mother, Marie, which perfectly captures her deteriorating health, as well as convincing accents for several of Dawn’s coworkers. The courtroom scenes are another highlight. Smith narrates these scenes with intensity and emotion—and you’ll feel all of Dawn’s anger and helplessness as injustice after injustice is thrown her way. The back-and-forth between the prosecution and defense often feels like a movie playing in your mind.
The climactic chapters are narrated with thrilling intensity and had me on the edge of my seat. By the final chapters, you’ll feel like you’ve gone through a marathon of emotions with Dawn and will be relieved to see how it all ends—and you’ll be recommending this audiobook to thriller fans as soon as you finish!
