Before the Storm

From a New York Times bestseller, a "graceful . . . engrossing" novel about a mother struggling to protect her disabled son after he is accused of a crime (Publishers Weekly).

Fifteen-year-old Andy Lockwood is special. Others notice the way he blurts out anything that comes into his mind, how he cannot foresee consequences, that he's more child than teenager. But his mother sees a boy with a heart as open and wide as the ocean.


Laurel Lockwood lost her son once through neglect. She's spent the rest of her life determined to make up for her mistakes, and she's succeeded in becoming a committed, protective parent—maybe even overprotective. Still, she loosens her grip just enough to let Andy attend a local church social—a decision that terrifies her when the church is consumed by fire. But Andy survives . . . and remarkably, saves other children from the flames. Laurel watches as Andy basks in the role of unlikely hero and the world finally sees her Andy, the sweet boy she knows as well as her own heart.


But when the suspicion of arson is cast upon Andy, Laurel must ask herself how well she really knows her son . . . and how far she'll go to keep her promise to protect him forever.

Praise for The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlin:

"Powerful and thrilling This tautly paced and emotionally driven novel will engross Chamberlain's many fans as well as those who read Sandra Brown and Carla Buckley." ?Booklist

"Hard to put down." ?Better Homes and Gardens
"A compulsively readable melodrama." ?Kirkus Reviews

"A page-turner to the very end. A must for all mystery lovers and those who like reading about family struggles." ?Library Journal