Before You Knew My Name

Bublitz’s haunting debut follows Ruby Jones and Alice Lee, both escaping complicated entanglements with men and arriving in New York City on the same day. Ruby and Alice couldn’t be more different. Ruby has an inheritance that will support her while she is in New York, while Alice has $600 and a stolen camera. They never meet each other in life, but they forge a remarkable bond in death. One month after arriving in the city, Ruby finds Alice’s body on the banks of the Hudson River. She carries no identification and is categorized as a Jane Doe. Guided by Alice, who reaches out from the other side of death, Ruby is determined to find out who Alice was. The resulting story focuses not so much on the killer, but on allowing each woman to share her own experience. Penelope Rawlins narrates the story beautifully, seamlessly shifting between numerous voices and accents and presenting nuanced and striking characterizations.