Excerpt

I ran as if my life depended on it. Because it did. I heard Sheriff Hicks bellow behind me, and I poured on the speed. I did my best to keep moving east, so I wouldn’t lose my bearings. I leaped over tree trunks and rocks. I ducked under fallen branches. I kept running even when the rain started to patter on the overhead canopy. I was still running when the sky opened up with such fat, heavy raindrops that they tumbled through the overhead foliage and beat against the ground below. I didn’t stop running until the lightning started.
      I had to get out from under all those trees.
      I ran until I reached the extreme edge of the woods. I ran until I tripped on an exposed tree root and went flying, landing face down on rock and mud and slick leaves. Down and hurt and staring into an opening of some kind. A gap between some rocks. A little cave. I crawled inside and pulled some brush over the opening. Then I held my breath and waited.

Awards and Reviews

2016 - CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

"Readers will become immersed in different historical periods while reading this work and see how racial tensions permeated events that took place in the 1920s and 1940s. Cady is a realistically drawn character, and teens will find themselves worrying about her and cheering for her as she uncovers the dark truth about several murders that were covered up years earlier...For fans of historical fiction, intrepid female reporters, and uncovering secrets." —School Library Journal, November 1, 2015

"[A] well-paced historical mystery." —Booklist Online, October 22, 2015

"McClintock is the queen of YA crime writing and I'm so impressed with the story she was able to create within the premise of the Secrets series and still accommodate a plot involving murder, mystery, and civil rights...Readers will be impressed by Cady's strength of character, regardless of the roadblocks constantly placed in her way, and the way she faced adversity with wisdom and poise." —CanLit for Little Canadians blog, October 3, 2015

"An excellent, well written novel about life in by-gone days in the Southern U. S. fraught with race related hate crimes and the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Highly recommended for Black History Month literature study, race relations investigations and as a springboard into research on civil rights in American history. Also complements women's issues and equity studies discussions in the classroom and for research assignments. Also highly recommended for recreational reading and literature study groups." —Resource Links, October 1, 2015

"Brings to light racial inequality and injustice as well as the collective guilt of an entire community. In this novel, questions are answered, such as what happens when police and elected officials are corrupt, how do bystanders live with their decisions of inaction, and at what cost and worth is challenging the status quo. Overall, My Life Before Me is difficult to put down, the writing style is conversational, yet precise, and the main character is a stunning example of young womanhood and a force to be reckoned with." —VOYA, October 1, 2015

"A very compelling and readable mystery...The reader feels strongly connected to the main character whose determination and self-confidence make her very likeable. Indeed, it is her character's perseverance against both gender and racial discrimination that makes the story so compelling. Norah McClintock's ability to weave two types of inequality—both sexism and racism—into the story allows her to provide a fresh take on the civil rights movement in this book." —CM Magazine, September 4, 2015

"A sensitive exploration of the appalling, racially motivated prejudice that inflamed even northern areas in the mid-20th century...[Cady's] plucky demeanor adds plausibility to her determined quest... This entry in the Secrets series embeds a tragic past within an engrossing mystery—masterfully." —Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2015

"Cady is a Holmesian detective and her pleasures are cerebral...The real energy of the story comes from her solving the crime and exposing the corruption of those in power." —Quill & Quire, September 1, 2015