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Tell Two Friends: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 8 Sep 26A wickedly funny and empowering thriller about women, the manipulators who underestimate them, and keeping your dignity while saving the day by the author of
I Thought You Said This Would Work
.
Jane Baye is a regular person, good at a lot of things, but identifying the serial killer right in front of her isn’t one of them.
In 1990, college senior Jane wrote to an incarcerated woman because it seemed like a nice thing to do. Thirty-six years later, that felon, actually a man, has moved in next door. He’s watching her every move, with a decades-long plan for Jane that a nice person like her would never see coming.
Especially because Jane is wrapped up in her own a small-town golden boy with talk of forever and a diabolical history of cheating. When she exposes her ex, the entire town of Wonder Lake turns against her.
It’s no wonder she doesn’t see what’s coming on the night of the Norwegian heritage festival.
But woe to those who mistake Jane for a pushover. When celebration becomes a fight for survival, the very qualities that make her ordinary become the weapons she’ll bet everything on.
Jane Baye is a regular person, good at a lot of things, but identifying the serial killer right in front of her isn’t one of them.
In 1990, college senior Jane wrote to an incarcerated woman because it seemed like a nice thing to do. Thirty-six years later, that felon, actually a man, has moved in next door. He’s watching her every move, with a decades-long plan for Jane that a nice person like her would never see coming.
Especially because Jane is wrapped up in her own a small-town golden boy with talk of forever and a diabolical history of cheating. When she exposes her ex, the entire town of Wonder Lake turns against her.
It’s no wonder she doesn’t see what’s coming on the night of the Norwegian heritage festival.
But woe to those who mistake Jane for a pushover. When celebration becomes a fight for survival, the very qualities that make her ordinary become the weapons she’ll bet everything on.
- GenresContemporary
285 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 8, 2026
About the author
Ann Garvin
10 books295 followersAnn Garvin Ph.D. is a nurse, a professor, and USA Today Bestselling Author. She thinks everything is funny and a little bit sad. Ann Writes stories about women with a good sense of humor who do too much in a world that asks too much from them.
Ann teaches creative writing at Drexel University in their Low- Residence Masters of Fine Arts program and lives in Wisconsin with her anxious and overly protective dog Peanut.
She is the founder of the multiple award-winning Tall Poppy Writers and is dedicated to helping authors find readers and vice versa. Learn more about Ann Garvin at: anngarvin.com
Ann teaches creative writing at Drexel University in their Low- Residence Masters of Fine Arts program and lives in Wisconsin with her anxious and overly protective dog Peanut.
She is the founder of the multiple award-winning Tall Poppy Writers and is dedicated to helping authors find readers and vice versa. Learn more about Ann Garvin at: anngarvin.com
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 10, 2026
The “About the Author” section at the end of this book describes Ann Garvin as a writer who “writes about women who do too much in a world that asks too much from them”. My review could safely end here and it would honestly be enough because I’ve been racking my brain to describe Jane Baye - physics teacher, reluctant app developer and local pariah through no fault of her own - and was unable to come up with a better description for her particular brand of weary pluckiness. From the very first page, this book offers a refreshing mix of deadpan funny and surprisingly touching passages, weaving these together with rich descriptions of the main characters whose earnestness and resilience best shines through when times are all but pleasant and calm. Jane, her niece Cricket, who was by far my favourite character of them all, and their small crew of scarce, yet steadfast supporters grapple with the events described in the story with the bravado often displayed by women who are not natural fighters but have had to deal with more than their fair share of unpleasantness in a world ruled by small-town politics and machismo.
I must admit I’m on the fence about how to best describe the genre: even though the book has all the hallmarks of a soft-boiled mystery, the parts written from the perspective of the ex convict who moved to the apartment next to Jane’s are unusually dark, as is the main twist that I never saw coming and that was masterfully executed. The only thing I would possibly change in this book, even though it admittedly serves as an excellent backdrop for the story to unfold, are all the references to Norwegian customs, traditions and culture that seem to be shoehorned into the book one too many times for it to be believable and sound natural. As ridiculous as this little grievance may sound, I refuse to believe that Norwegians, much less their descendants living in the US, say “uff da” as often as Garvin would have us believe, and many other aspects of Norwegian culture only seem to be mentioned in the book for the sake of it, which I found mildly irritating.
Despite this minor annoyance, which will possibly only irk me and nobody else, after all, this remains a solid good-natured mystery with some poignant messages that ring particularly pertinent in this day and age.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Ann Garvin for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I must admit I’m on the fence about how to best describe the genre: even though the book has all the hallmarks of a soft-boiled mystery, the parts written from the perspective of the ex convict who moved to the apartment next to Jane’s are unusually dark, as is the main twist that I never saw coming and that was masterfully executed. The only thing I would possibly change in this book, even though it admittedly serves as an excellent backdrop for the story to unfold, are all the references to Norwegian customs, traditions and culture that seem to be shoehorned into the book one too many times for it to be believable and sound natural. As ridiculous as this little grievance may sound, I refuse to believe that Norwegians, much less their descendants living in the US, say “uff da” as often as Garvin would have us believe, and many other aspects of Norwegian culture only seem to be mentioned in the book for the sake of it, which I found mildly irritating.
Despite this minor annoyance, which will possibly only irk me and nobody else, after all, this remains a solid good-natured mystery with some poignant messages that ring particularly pertinent in this day and age.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Ann Garvin for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The main character in “Tell Two Friends,” is Jane Baye. Jane is a professor, town pariah (she’s been portrayed as the villain in a bitter divorce), and the obsession of a stalker resulting from a long ago prison pen pal correspondence. The part of the story surrounding the identity and intent of the stalker was interesting. However, I think the most important part of the book was Jane (with the help of her precocious teenage niece, Cricket) finding her own voice and strength.
For most of the book, Jane seems lost in a fugue state. She puts up with the enmity and brusque behavior of the townspeople, although she is never inured to it. Like many women, she is conditioned into the milieu that women are supposed to be polite and conciliatory, even if it causes them discomfort. Thus, she endures the unwanted attention of men who don’t respect her boundaries. Towards the end of the story, she finds herself in danger. She acknowledges the gravitas of the situation, and finally exerts her agency. The social commentary of this book gave me a lot to think about. Jane’s transformation is powerful and inspiring.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC.
For most of the book, Jane seems lost in a fugue state. She puts up with the enmity and brusque behavior of the townspeople, although she is never inured to it. Like many women, she is conditioned into the milieu that women are supposed to be polite and conciliatory, even if it causes them discomfort. Thus, she endures the unwanted attention of men who don’t respect her boundaries. Towards the end of the story, she finds herself in danger. She acknowledges the gravitas of the situation, and finally exerts her agency. The social commentary of this book gave me a lot to think about. Jane’s transformation is powerful and inspiring.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m a die-hard Ann Garvin fan for many reasons. Her laugh-out-loud wit, her perfectly on-point Wisconsinisms, her depictions of women facing insurmountable odds and yet persevering to come out on top--all are present here. I blazed through it in a day and loved it. The style of writing is still classic Ann (yes, I feel like we're friends because she's that good at connecting with her readers), but this story has a decidedly different feel than the past few because it’s a thriller! But in a cozy, I-still-trust-everything-will-turn-out-fine type of way.
This book is funny and suspenseful and features strong women who aren’t afraid to show it. Jane’s niece provides endless feminist empowerment as Jane struggles to find her place in the small town of Wonder Lake, Wisconsin. Her romantic life is in shambles after her very public divorce from the town’s golden boy, and she doesn’t know who to trust–the new professor at the university where she teaches, the gruff-yet-helpful new neighbor, her philandering ex, or none of the above.
This book took me on a wild and hilarious ride, and you won’t want to miss it. Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
This book is funny and suspenseful and features strong women who aren’t afraid to show it. Jane’s niece provides endless feminist empowerment as Jane struggles to find her place in the small town of Wonder Lake, Wisconsin. Her romantic life is in shambles after her very public divorce from the town’s golden boy, and she doesn’t know who to trust–the new professor at the university where she teaches, the gruff-yet-helpful new neighbor, her philandering ex, or none of the above.
This book took me on a wild and hilarious ride, and you won’t want to miss it. Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This one was such a fun surprise! It’s light, fast-paced, and easy to get into, but there’s just enough suspense and a touch of mystery woven in to keep things interesting the whole way through.
The characters are incredibly likable, and the plot flows in a way that makes it hard to put down—I flew through it. Jane, especially, stood out as a strong, realistic protagonist. She felt grounded and relatable, and I loved watching her grow into her confidence and trust her instincts.
There are also some nice underlying themes about women’s intuition and self-assurance that add a bit more depth without ever weighing the story down. And that twist at the end? So good—definitely added an extra punch to an already engaging story.
I do wish we got a little more insight into the situation with her ex, though. It felt like there was more there that could’ve been explored.
Overall, it’s a quick, entertaining read that feels a little like a wild ride in a great way. I’ll absolutely be picking up more from this author!
** I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher! **
The characters are incredibly likable, and the plot flows in a way that makes it hard to put down—I flew through it. Jane, especially, stood out as a strong, realistic protagonist. She felt grounded and relatable, and I loved watching her grow into her confidence and trust her instincts.
There are also some nice underlying themes about women’s intuition and self-assurance that add a bit more depth without ever weighing the story down. And that twist at the end? So good—definitely added an extra punch to an already engaging story.
I do wish we got a little more insight into the situation with her ex, though. It felt like there was more there that could’ve been explored.
Overall, it’s a quick, entertaining read that feels a little like a wild ride in a great way. I’ll absolutely be picking up more from this author!
** I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher! **
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.25 ⭐️ This book follows Jane, a somewhat down on her luck professor, who is an outcast in her small town after exposing her ex husband’’s cheating on live TV. We also follow Truman, her neighbor who is mysteriously watching everything that happens next door. This had all the elements of being a book I should have loved, but unfortunately it ended up falling flat for me.
Jane was hard for me to empathize with; even though her motivations were understandable, the way she communicated and her response to situations just didn’t always make sense. Cricket, her niece, was adorable, but their relationship felt a little stilted at times. The overall theme of learning to trust yourself again after a betrayal, and setting better boundaries was fine, but it felt a little too on the nose at times. The story picked up at the end, but I feel like I spent quite a bit wondering where this was going and waiting for something to happen. For the right reader, this would be an excellent read, but it just wasn’t for me.
I received a free advance copy from NetGalley, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Jane was hard for me to empathize with; even though her motivations were understandable, the way she communicated and her response to situations just didn’t always make sense. Cricket, her niece, was adorable, but their relationship felt a little stilted at times. The overall theme of learning to trust yourself again after a betrayal, and setting better boundaries was fine, but it felt a little too on the nose at times. The story picked up at the end, but I feel like I spent quite a bit wondering where this was going and waiting for something to happen. For the right reader, this would be an excellent read, but it just wasn’t for me.
I received a free advance copy from NetGalley, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley & publishing team for allowing me to read the eARC of Tell Two Friends by Ann Garvin!
This is the first book I've ever read of Ann Garvin's & I wasn't disappointed. Garvin really blended humor & emotional depth in this novel. The story following a woman trying to rebuild her life after being manipulated and lied to by someone she thought she could trust, learning how to navigate her emotions & the reality of starting over. The characters that Garvin created felt real, flawed, dedicated & filled with my type of humor.
Cricket being the 15 year old feminist advocate truly warmed my heart. Gunther just being concerned about his bacon treats reminded me of my own fur babies. Kyle was giving red flags from the beginning. Truman is proof you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and Jane's humor constantly reminded me of my own.
Be on the lookout for this book hitting the shelves in September!
This is the first book I've ever read of Ann Garvin's & I wasn't disappointed. Garvin really blended humor & emotional depth in this novel. The story following a woman trying to rebuild her life after being manipulated and lied to by someone she thought she could trust, learning how to navigate her emotions & the reality of starting over. The characters that Garvin created felt real, flawed, dedicated & filled with my type of humor.
Cricket being the 15 year old feminist advocate truly warmed my heart. Gunther just being concerned about his bacon treats reminded me of my own fur babies. Kyle was giving red flags from the beginning. Truman is proof you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and Jane's humor constantly reminded me of my own.
Be on the lookout for this book hitting the shelves in September!
May 13, 2026
Firstly, thank you to Netgalley for this advanced reader copy.
I went into this book intrigued by the premise, and while I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about every aspect of it, I did find it to be an engaging and unexpectedly layered read. Cricket was easily the standout character for me: clever, memorable, and genuinely endearing, I found myself most invested whenever she was on the page. The rest of the characters didn’t leave quite the same impression, although I did appreciate the themes surrounding betrayal, self-worth, resilience, and the aftermath of a toxic relationship. I also really enjoyed the twist, it was unexpected.
I found it quite slow pacing. And then the ending was a bit rushed.
Overall, though, this was a solid 3-star read for me: thoughtful, intriguing, and worth reading for Cricket alone.
I went into this book intrigued by the premise, and while I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about every aspect of it, I did find it to be an engaging and unexpectedly layered read. Cricket was easily the standout character for me: clever, memorable, and genuinely endearing, I found myself most invested whenever she was on the page. The rest of the characters didn’t leave quite the same impression, although I did appreciate the themes surrounding betrayal, self-worth, resilience, and the aftermath of a toxic relationship. I also really enjoyed the twist, it was unexpected.
I found it quite slow pacing. And then the ending was a bit rushed.
Overall, though, this was a solid 3-star read for me: thoughtful, intriguing, and worth reading for Cricket alone.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
Jane in the past had written, from the goodness of her heart, letters to an incarcerated man, until he wrote a letter telling her to stop. She's obviously hurt, and even more hurt when she discovers her husband has several other "wives". She divorces him and becomes persona non grata in her small town; no-one talks to her, they all seem to be on her husband's side. Strange town ...
A taciturn neighbor offers to do some work on her house to make her feel safe and that kindness mysteriously helps turn her life around. Wth her dog, her niece and a young neighborhood boy by her side, the neighbor helps her find her strength and courage.
It's a heartwarming, lovely book.
Jane in the past had written, from the goodness of her heart, letters to an incarcerated man, until he wrote a letter telling her to stop. She's obviously hurt, and even more hurt when she discovers her husband has several other "wives". She divorces him and becomes persona non grata in her small town; no-one talks to her, they all seem to be on her husband's side. Strange town ...
A taciturn neighbor offers to do some work on her house to make her feel safe and that kindness mysteriously helps turn her life around. Wth her dog, her niece and a young neighborhood boy by her side, the neighbor helps her find her strength and courage.
It's a heartwarming, lovely book.
May 12, 2026
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for sending me the ARC of this book!
I've never delved into thrillers because they've never really inspired me, but after reading the plot of this one, I have to say I was intrigued!
The story flows very well, and the characters are very likable. As I read, I had so many questions.
It's a book that doesn't just offer suspense, but also insights into what a woman feels every day: feelings of inadequacy, indecision, and fear. It was very interesting to watch Jane navigate these emotions, especially with the help of her niece!
The only flaw I found was the very quick ending, perhaps a little too fast for my tastes. But overall, it's a truly intriguing book!
I've never delved into thrillers because they've never really inspired me, but after reading the plot of this one, I have to say I was intrigued!
The story flows very well, and the characters are very likable. As I read, I had so many questions.
It's a book that doesn't just offer suspense, but also insights into what a woman feels every day: feelings of inadequacy, indecision, and fear. It was very interesting to watch Jane navigate these emotions, especially with the help of her niece!
The only flaw I found was the very quick ending, perhaps a little too fast for my tastes. But overall, it's a truly intriguing book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
This story kept me very interested I made some assumptions at the beginning that were definitely not correct. The way the story molded together based on her past writing letters and events in the future because of those letters was crazy. It shows you that things you do can’t have consequences even if it’s something nice, I enjoyed the ending and I was sad to reach the end of this book. I cannot wait to read from this author!
This story kept me very interested I made some assumptions at the beginning that were definitely not correct. The way the story molded together based on her past writing letters and events in the future because of those letters was crazy. It shows you that things you do can’t have consequences even if it’s something nice, I enjoyed the ending and I was sad to reach the end of this book. I cannot wait to read from this author!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Lake Union and NetGalley for this ARC of Garvin’s latest novel. Jane is a likeable person living in a town that never forgave her for shining the spotlight on her philandering ex-husband, who also happens to be the town’s prodigal son.
Jane’s life is somewhat predictable, until a new neighbor moves in and seems obsessed with watching her every move.
Garvin’s latest novel had me cheering for Jane, laughing out loud, and trying to guess what would happen next.
Jane’s life is somewhat predictable, until a new neighbor moves in and seems obsessed with watching her every move.
Garvin’s latest novel had me cheering for Jane, laughing out loud, and trying to guess what would happen next.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really liked this book! It was light and fun, with likeable characters and an easy-to-follow plot. I enjoyed the twist at the end, as well. I also enjoyed that there were underlying themes of intuition, confidence, etc. Jane was a very likeable, real character. I finished it quickly and would love to read more from this author.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews