Dawn Before Darkness

A psychological thriller inspired by real events revealing the treachery of a ruthless stalker, the alarming failure of the legal system and the unthinkable battle a daughter must face to protect her family.

Dawn Smith, a vet tech living in rural South Carolina, catches her boyfriend in a series of lies and abruptly ends the relationship. Rather than accepting the break-up, he begins to stalk and harass her, forcing Dawn to seek a restraining order. Undeterred, he launches a deeply personal attack—suing for guardianship and conservatorship of Dawn’s infirm mother. In court, he manipulates the truth using evidence that he planted while the couple were still dating. And just when Dawn thinks things can’t get any worse, she is faced with an impossible choice: rekindle the relationship or lose her mother forever.

© 2026 Mitchell Cove Publishing LLC (Audiobook): 9780990937470

Release date

Audiobook: 2 June 2026