Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman Summary
Overview of Before We Were Innocent
Two best friends, one deadly Greek vacation, and ten years of buried secrets. Reese Witherspoon's captivating December pick reads like true crime, exploring how media vilifies young women caught in tragedy. Can innocence ever truly be reclaimed?
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Key takeaways
A Summer in Greece, A Lifetime of Consequences
Ten years ago, three best friends-Bess, Joni, and Evangeline-traveled to Greece for a post-graduation celebration at Evangeline's family home on Tinos Island. What should have been the perfect summer turned tragic when Evangeline fell to her death from a cliffside path. The aftermath was brutal: Bess and Joni were charged with murder, vilified by international media as "sex-crazed jezebels," and imprisoned for six months before being acquitted. Now, Bess lives in self-imposed isolation in a desert cabin, working remotely and avoiding human connection. Her carefully constructed peace shatters when Joni appears at her door after a decade of silence, desperately needing an alibi. A local teenager named Willa is missing, and Joni is the prime suspect. The request pulls Bess back into a web of secrets she's spent years trying to escape. What really happened that night in Greece? Why did Joni suddenly cut off all contact after their acquittal? And most urgently-is history repeating itself with Willa's disappearance? As Bess reluctantly agrees to help, she's forced to confront the question: how far should loyalty extend when protecting someone might mean enabling their darkest impulses?
The Toxicity of Teenage Friendship
Trial By Media
Living With Ghosts
The Shifting Sands of Truth
The Price of Blind Loyalty
Finding Freedom Through Truth
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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