Narrators: Cassandra Campbell; George Newbern; Kirby Heyborne; Jane Oppenheimer; MacLeod Andrews;
Renata Friedman
Harper Audio
ISBN: 9781400345021
Publisher: HarperMuse
Publication Date: 10/01/2024
Format: Audiobook & e-book
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
A small Southern town. An ordinary Saturday night. A little boy disappears without a trace.
Everyone in Wynotte, North Carolina, knows the name Davy Malcor. Knows the video clip of him juggling four balls, "All at the very same time!" Knows the Marty McFly jacket his mother made for his birthday that he wore proudly, and often. But no one knows what happened to him the night he went missing more than twenty years ago.
When the jacket is unexpectedly uncovered, the cold case reopens, and Davy's family is thrust into yet another media storm. But at the heart of the story are four people forever changed by one single night: Thaddeus Malcor, Davy's older brother, created the life of his dreams by writing a bestselling memoir about his family's experience and is enjoying success and notoriety as a result, even if the memoir doesn't quite reveal the whole story. Tabitha Malcor, his mother, is divorced and living alone, advocating for victims' rights and faithfully cataloging her regrets each week, never including her biggest regret of all. Anissa Weaver was just a kid herself when Davy went missing, and her connection to him is one she cannot reveal as she serves as the Malcor family's Public Information Officer. And, long suspected in Davy's disappearance, Gordon Swift has kept his head down and scraped together a decent life. But the new attention to the case makes it impossible to hide from the public, and the past.
With hauntingly vivid prose, Marybeth Mayhew Whalen peels back the curtain on the inner turmoil of those who were left behind in the small Southern community as they pick up the pieces that remain and press forward into the light to find hope and healing.
Praise
'EVERY MOMENT SINCE is everything you want in a novel--a gripping story, nostalgia for lost childhood, exorbitant love, a deep sense of place, and page-turning tension. From the opening scene where a child's jacket is found twenty-one years after he's gone missing to the heart-rending conclusion, this story is brought to vivid life with Marybeth Mayhew Whalen's pitch-perfect prose and signature ability to dive into the character's deepest secrets and desires. As the lives of those left behind draw ever closer, we hold our breath to find out the truth. For those who love the work of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Jessica Knoll, you've just found your next book club read.'
-- Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of THE SECRET LIFE OF FLORA LEA
'EVERY MOMENT SINCE is unforgettable. Marybeth Whalen takes every family's worst nightmare and uses her amazing talent for exploring the aftermath to bring this story home. How do you go on when there are no answers? What does forgiveness really look like? In telling the story of Davy Malcor's disappearance, she's tapped into a whole new world of emotional family drama. Heartbreaking and suspenseful, this is Whalen's finest work to date.'
-- J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of IT'S ONE OF US
'EVERY MOMENT SINCE is a heart-pounding mystery that is sure to leave you breathless. Well-crafted with twists and turns around every corner, Marybeth Whalen's latest is a triumph!'
-- Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke, authors of FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE
'EVERY MOMENT SINCE is one of those compelling stories that you keep promising yourself just one more page, then just one more chapter, and before you know it you've plowed through another five chapters and have stayed up well past your bedtime. Fast paced and cleverly written, Marybeth Whalen tethers you deeply into the dark recesses of this story while unraveling the truth behind what really happened to Davy Malcor.'
-- T.I. Lowe, #1 international bestselling author of Under the Magnolias
'EVERY MOMENT SINCE is an astonishing work that didn't let me go, even after the last line. This book has it all: rich characters who jump off the page, a present and past that feel so familiar, and a sense of urgency to see how it all unfolds. I miss this book already!'
-- Ethan Joella, author of THE SAME BRIGHT STARS
'EVERY MOMENT SINCE will grip you with its compelling, 'just-one-more-page' mystery, then alter your heart with its beautifully drawn cast of characters. Full of real emotional insight and depth, it's a book to finish in the small hours, feeling utterly transformed.'
-- Hannah Richell, author of THE SEARCH PARTY
'EVERY MOMENT SINCE is a masterpiece, an important study of humanity, grief, and especially hope in the aftermath of unfathomable trauma. In her best work yet, Whalen expertly and delicately paints an unflinchingly real picture of what happens to a family and a town when weathered scars are opened anew. EVERY MOMENT SINCE will deeply resonate with all readers. I couldn't put it down!'
-- Joy Callaway, international bestselling author of WHAT THE MOUNTAINS REMEMBER
'Full of atmosphere and twists and turns, Marybeth Mayhew Whalen's EVERY MOMENT SINCE is a must-read!'
-- Catherine McKenzie, USA TODAY bestselling author of I’LL NEVER TELL and HAVE YOU SEEN HER
'Marybeth Mayhew Whalen is at her finest in this novel that dissects the harrowing toll on family and community when a child goes missing. This sophisticated and compelling novel establishes Whalen as an unflinching voice in fiction.'
-- Kimberly Brock, bestselling author of THE LOST BOOK OF ELEANOR DARE
My Review
Southern storyteller and favorite author Marybeth Mayhew Whalen returns with EVERY MOMENT SINCE —a heart-rendering, gripping, character-driven story of mystery, grief, and loss.
The author brilliantly explores the aftermath of a tragedy when a boy goes missing that profoundly affects the family members, friends, and the entire community.
About...
1985 Wynotte, North Carolina
More than twenty years earlier, on a Saturday evening in a small Southern NC town, a little boy named Davy Malcor goes missing.
He wore a jacket his mom made for his birthday. Davy was never found, leaving behind a grief-stricken family and a town with a mystery and no answers.
When the jacket is discovered, the cold case reopens, and Davy's family is back amid another media sensation.
Four lives are forever changed by this single night when Davy disappears.
~Thaddeus: Davy's older brother who wrote a bestselling memoir about the experience even though he is not forthcoming with the entire story.
~Tabitha: The mother. She is divorced and lives alone, advocating for victims' rights and journaling her regrets (maybe not all of them).
~Anissa Weaver: She was a young girl when Davy went missing. She also does not reveal all. She serves as the Malcor family's Public Information Officer.
~Gordon Swift: He was the artist living in the woods near Davy's disappearance. When the boy came to his house, he sent him away. Then what. Regrets. Is he responsible?
Everyone is front and center, and the suspects are lining up. What happened the night Davy went missing, and where is he now? There are many suspects.
My thoughts...
EVERY MOMENT SINCE is a hauntingly beautiful story of the aftermath of a loss, a traumatic event, and those connected with inner turmoil, grief, and guilt to healing. There is an ongoing mystery, and everyone has hidden secrets about that night. What if they could change the events leading up to that night?
The author brilliantly explores this small rural Southern community and its dark secrets in this slow-burn mystery from past to present. Vivid in place, high in emotion, and strong in character, infused with tension and lovely prose, EVERY MOMENT SINCE is my favorite of Marybeth's.
I am a Charlotte, NC native as well and love and support NC authors!
It's an emotionally gripping family drama—Heartbreaking, compelling, and suspenseful, with unexpected twists; the characters will remain with you long after the book ends. EVERY MOMENT SINCE is an ideal choice for book clubs and further discussions.
Audiobook...
I had the privilege of reading the e-book and listening to the audiobook, which was superior. The audio features a full cast of superstars (some of my favorite narrators): Cassandra Campbell, George Newbern, Kirby Heyborne, Jane Oppenheimer, Macleod Andrews, and Renata Friedman. The audio was exceptional, and the characters came alive. I highly recommend the audiobook!
Recs...
For fans of the author and those who enjoy stories by Jessica Strawser, Eileen Goudge, Susan Redfearn, Rochelle Weinstein, Jen Craven, and Emma Robinson.
Thanks to Harper Muse and Harper Audio for an ARC and ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 1, 2024
About the Author
Photo by Kristee Mays Photography
Marybeth Mayhew Whalen is the author of This Secret Thing, as well as Only Ever Her, When We Were Worthy, The Things We Wish Were True and five previous novels, which have sold over half a million copies. Her tenth novel Every Moment Since will be out October 1, 2024.
Marybeth and her husband Curt are the parents of six children, ranging in age from young adult to teen. A native of Charlotte, NC, Marybeth now calls Sunset Beach, NC home. You can find out more about her, including a link to the pantyhose commercial she starred in at the age of five, via her linktree.
Marybeth is the co-founder of The Book Tide. WEBSITE
