A heart-stirring story of faith, family, and second chances. Sixty-eight-year-old Ellie Cunningham never imagined she'd be raising children again—especially not the three young kids of her adult son Gabe, a struggling single father with PTSD and ADHD. But when life unravels, Ellie opens her rural Arizona home, expecting chaos—and finding unexpected joy. Then one grandchild’s mother brings accusations, hidden truths, and a custody battle that threatens the fragile family Ellie has worked so hard to guide toward independence. To keep them together, Ellie must confront the heartbreak of her past, lean into her quiet personal faith, and summon a strength she thought was long gone. What begins as a temporary refuge becomes a test of resilience, love, and the legacy she hopes to leave behind. Before I’m Gone is a powerful inspirational women’s fiction novel about letting go, holding on, and finding grace in life’s most unexpected chapters.
Author
A native of the southwestern U.S., Karen Randau pens the Rim Country Mysteries. The fourth book in the series, Deadly Payload, was a finalist in the Book Excellence Awards and the Beverly Hills Book Awards. Karen has been writing and telling stories since elementary school. She holds a degree in journalism/public relations from The University of Texas at Austin and enjoyed a long career in marketing communications. In her work with an international non-profit, she traveled to numerous developing countries, witnessing famines, violence, and hopeful people working to overcome abject poverty. She loves fast-paced mysteries and thrillers, especially those with intricate plots, lots of action, and rollercoaster-like twists and turns.
