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Table of Contents
Reading Group Guide
About the Book
After a woman is killed and her daughter vanishes, detective Chelsey Calhoun uncovers a legacy of violence and survival that spans from Japan to Seattle in this propulsive novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Return of Ellie Black.
A murdered woman. A missing daughter. A truth buried across two continents.
Married, pregnant, and thriving in her career, Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life finally feels whole, until an explosive new case shatters everything. A mother is dead. Her sixteen-year-old daughter, Naomi, has disappeared. And the search will awaken questions about Chelsey’s own origins—questions she’s spent a lifetime afraid to ask.
The victim called herself Anne Walker. But she was born Rika Takahashi, and her journey from a remote Japanese farm to suburban Seattle conceals decades of deception. Across Tokyo’s shadowed underworld, an isolated Idaho town, and years of carefully constructed lies, Rika reinvented herself at every turn. But she was always running—from someone, or something.
Now, Chelsey must find Naomi before she becomes the next victim. But the deeper she delves into Rika’s hidden life, the more she discovers: some secrets are worth killing for. And the most dangerous truths may be the ones closest to home.
Told in three interwoven voices, Before You Were Anne is a gripping suspense novel about the lies that bind families and the sins that echo across generations.
A murdered woman. A missing daughter. A truth buried across two continents.
Married, pregnant, and thriving in her career, Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life finally feels whole, until an explosive new case shatters everything. A mother is dead. Her sixteen-year-old daughter, Naomi, has disappeared. And the search will awaken questions about Chelsey’s own origins—questions she’s spent a lifetime afraid to ask.
The victim called herself Anne Walker. But she was born Rika Takahashi, and her journey from a remote Japanese farm to suburban Seattle conceals decades of deception. Across Tokyo’s shadowed underworld, an isolated Idaho town, and years of carefully constructed lies, Rika reinvented herself at every turn. But she was always running—from someone, or something.
Now, Chelsey must find Naomi before she becomes the next victim. But the deeper she delves into Rika’s hidden life, the more she discovers: some secrets are worth killing for. And the most dangerous truths may be the ones closest to home.
Told in three interwoven voices, Before You Were Anne is a gripping suspense novel about the lies that bind families and the sins that echo across generations.
About the Author
Katy Weaver
Emiko Jean is a New York Times bestselling author of young adult and adult fiction, including Love Me Tomorrow and Love Me Always. Her work has been published around the world and translated into over thirty languages. She lives in Washington with her family.
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster (September 1, 2026)
- Length: 320 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668023969
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Raves and Reviews
"A deeply haunting thriller about a mother keeping secrets and her daughter's quest to know the truth at all costs."
—Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid series
“The tension between perceived and actual identity nearly bursts in Before You Were Anne . . . Expertly weaving the perspectives of the Chelsey, Rika and Naomi, Jean creates a tapestry of women, all grappling with the expectations placed upon themselves by others—not to mention racism, misogyny and family strife.”
—The New York Times
"Before You Were Anne is a poignant story with consolations small and transcendent.”
—The Wall Street Journal
“Emiko Jean is back . . . this time, the detective takes on a case that reaches from Japan to Seattle, uncovering generational trauma and turmoil along the way.”
—NPR
"An exhilarating thriller with a strong emotional current."
—Publishers Weekly
"This is at once a story of identity and a murder mystery. Jean structures her story around the three women, enriching the experience by giving each character a voice. For fans of Julie Clark and Lisa Jewell."
—Library Journal
"In this thriller, understanding one’s origins can be a matter of life or death."
—Kirkus Reviews
“Jean has a knack for locating the bruise beneath the mystery. Here, much of the suspense comes from watching three women circle the same questions: Who were they before, who have they become and how much of either self can they hide from the people they love?”
—Seattle Times
"A page-turner . . . that feels all too timely and real."
—The Spokesman-Review
"Absolutely unputdownable . . . Relentlessly suspenseful with jaw-dropping twists and a final page that will leave you staring into space." —Scary Mommy
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