After her husband's big promotion, Cece Solarin arrives in Brighton with their three children, ready to start afresh. But their new neighbourhood has a deadly secret.
Three weeks earlier, Yvonne, a very popular parent, was almost murdered in the grounds of the local school - the same school where Cece has unwittingly enrolled her children.
Already anxious about making friends when the parents seem so cliquey, Cece is now also worried about her children's safety. By chance she meets Maxie, Anaya and Hazel; three very different school mothers who make her feel welcome and reassure her about her new life.
That is until Cece discovers the police believe one of her new friends tried to kill Yvonne. Reluctant to spy on her friends but determined to discover the truth, Cece must uncover the potential murderer before they strike again . . .
From the bestselling author of That Girl from Nowhere and When I Was Invisible comes a thrilling new novel that will have you questioning the line between right and wrong.***
[A popular mother-of-two is in a coma after being found on the premises of a local Brighton school after a vicious attack the police are investigating as attempted murder]***
(Cornerstone Digital, 1 June 2017, 447 pages, ebook, #popsugarreadingchallenge 2020, a book by a #WOC, bought from @AmazonKindle)
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Koomson is one of my favourite writers. I've been a massive fan since her earlier chick-lit books. I usually read her books as soon as they come out but for some reason I didn't get round to reading this. I also have to read When I Was Invisible. I loved this book. The covers for Koomson's books imply they are still chick-lit but she's been writing intense psychological thrillers for a few years now so don't be fooled. This is one of her best since The Ice Cream Girls. I loved the fact the book is narrated by the four women Cece, Maxine, Anaya and Hazel so the book constantly switches POV's and I had no idea what was going on or who to believe half the time. All women have secrets and Cece finds herself as the unwilling confessor of the heavy burden's they carry. The characters, including Yvonne are all very real and flawed. The Friend is full of misdirection and unreliable narration, the kind of style I love. I had no idea who really attacked Yvonne and Koomson keeps the truth until the very end. The Friend is fantastic.
