Synopsis

Dawn Smith, a veterinary 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.

Filled with juicy and surprising twists, Liz Lazarus’ riveting thriller is based on her own harrowing experience battling for the guardianship of her 88-year-old mother. “Liz Lazarus is an extraordinary author who effortlessly immerses readers into her narratives with profound realism and depth. Her storytelling prowess is matched by a rare talent for meticulous research, seamlessly blending suspense with enlightening insights. Once you start, you won’t want to put her books down.” —Diane Nix, Knox Bridge Book Club In Dawn Before Darkness (out May 26, 2026; Mitchell Cove Publishing), Liz Lazarus delivers her fourth and most compelling novel, a psychological thriller that reveals 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 Before Darkness, Lazarus’ sharpest and most surprising work yet, is a satisfying yet unsettling thrill ride that reveals the dark side of the legal system we all live in—and often struggle under—while blending the worlds of veterinary medicine, guardianships, conservatorships, probate court, and the dangers and risks of loving someone.

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Praise

“Liz Lazarus tells a compelling story that captures the reader’s attention throughout. As someone who knows the horrors of the probate system, I applaud Liz’s accurate depiction of how easily the elderly can be trapped and how helpless their family can feel as they fight to protect a loved one.” – Rick Black, Founder of CEAR, Center for Estate Administration Reform

“Dawn Before Darkness is a thought-provoking suspense novel that balances emotional depth with high-stakes drama. The major plot twist is nothing short of stunning, powerful, and unexpected, pulling the rug out from under the reader in the best possible way. This psychological thriller is compelling and will linger long after the final page has been read.” – Feathered Quill Book Reviews

“Replete with action, discovery, challenge, and tests of one woman’s strengths and convictions about animals, people, and love, Dawn Before Darkness is an immersive thriller which incorporate many themes, from elder abuse and stalking to animal rights and owner attitudes, creating opportunities for many powerful book club and women’s reading group discussions as it navigates the fine lines between destruction and transformation.” – D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“In addition to page-turning suspense, Dawn Before Darkness will resonate with anyone who has had to enter the world of guardianships and POA while simultaneously trying to hold down an enjoyable but sometimes stressful job, maintain friendships, and manage household practicalities, with a few lovable animals in the mix. Drawing from the author’s own experiences, it blends daily responsibilities, complicated by the risks and misunderstandings of relationships, with the pitfalls of the legal system. I am grateful for reliable counsel during the elderly parent journey as I have watched extended family suffer great loss and a friend narrowly escape a guardianship mishap. This well-researched book might send cautionary signals to other families before it is too late.” – Cynthia J. Thomas, Freelance writer and Reader’s Corner columnist, Branson (MO) Globe

Review

I’m going to start and let you know I stayed up until 1:30 in the morning to finish this book. I could not put it down!

This book hits a lot of issues right now, especially elder abuse. Knowing that this book is based on events the author experienced makes it even more realistic. It is obvious that corrupt judges play a part in allowing seniors to be taken advantage of without giving the family an opportunity to care for them. It makes me angry to know that this happens.

I felt for Dawn and everything she went through in this book, from the stalker to fighting for her mom. There are times when she said and did some not-so-smart things, but it is human nature. I felt for her when she wasn’t taken seriously. As everything unfolded, I was dumbfounded by the events. I know that things like this will happen, and I can’t even imagine being in her shoes.

In the end, karma reigned.

I have enjoyed many of this author’s books, and this one was no different. As I mentioned, I stayed up late because I couldn’t put it down.

We give this book 5 paws up!

Behind the Scenes

The Inspiration and True Story Behind Dawn Before Darkness.

We’ve all heard stories about the court system taking children away from their parents, presumably because the adults were unfit guardians. It’s equally possible for the legal system to take aging parents from their perfectly competent adult children. I know—it happened to my family.

My 88-year-old mom had been diagnosed with mild dementia. After suffering from a bout of pneumonia, she was moved from Assisted Living to Skilled Nursing. Not long after, a family member had Mom sign Financial and Health Care Powers of Attorney and commit all of her assets to an irrevocable Trust without my knowledge. The documents named this relative as the primary representative and Trustee, with her husband named as the alternate. I knew this was not aligned with my mom’s wishes.

When I challenged the validity of the documents, I was sued by this relative for guardianship and conservatorship of my mom. The judge ruled that due to the ‘discord’ within the family, Mom would be put under the control of a court-appointed third-party guardian.

Over the next few years, on this guardian’s watch, my mom was both neglected and permanently injured. I learned that the only qualification needed to be a guardian was appointment by a judge. This woman had no formal training, credentials, or medical background, and there was no oversight of the fees she could charge to my mom’s Trust.

I spent ten years and thousands of my own dollars to convince the court that I would be a better guardian for my mom. Meanwhile, her quality of life hung in the balance and continued to decline. It took a change of attorney, a change of venue, and a new judge to make this happen. Legally, family members are supposed to have priority for guardianship if they are responsible and capable, even if there is supposed ‘discord.’

I never realized how easily Mom could be taken from me. I also didn’t understand that her care (or lack thereof) could be delegated to such an unqualified stranger, and that I would be powerless to change the situation without a costly and lengthy legal battle.

There are pending lawsuits in South Carolina where judges, lawyers, and guardians are accused of unlawfully working together to take elderly people away from their families. Not only do they control the person’s freedom, but they are also alleged to deplete the person’s assets. I lived it firsthand, which is what compelled me to write this novel.

Although I was able to successfully become my mom’s guardian, there are many families who are still fighting this broken system—and others who lack the resources for this kind of battle. Dawn Before Darkness is fiction, but what happens to the main character and her mom is all too real.

About the Author

Liz Lazarus graduated from The Georgia Institute of Technology with an engineering degree and from Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management with an MBA. She went on to lead a successful career as an executive at General Electric’s Healthcare division. Later, she joined a leading consulting firm as Managing Director and is currently Head of Operations for a healthcare start-up. DAWN BEFORE DARKNESS is her fourth novel, following FREE OF MALICE, PLEA FOR JUSTICE, and SHADES OF SILENCE. She was raised in Georgia and now splits her time between Atlanta, Georgia, and Bozeman, Montana.

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