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Friends #1
Friends for Life
When her best friend is found dead, supposedly from a drug overdose, seventeen-year-old Susan suspects murder and determines to find out the truth.
171 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1983
254 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Emerson White
36 books240 followersThis talented writer attended Tufts University (and published her first book, Friends for Life, while a senior there) and currently lives in New York City. Ms. White grew up in Narragansett, Rhode Island. Many of her novels feature characters who reside in or around Boston and are fans of the Boston Red Sox (as is Ms. White). In addition to novels, Ms. White has published several biographies. She also writes under the pseudonym Zack Emerson (taking the name Zack from the name of her shepherd dog) and under the pseudonym Nicholas Edwards (Santa Paws series).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 30, 2017
Imagine moving back to town when you're 17, and on the very first day you return to school, you see your best friend being taken away in an ambulance, because she was murdered. This is exactly what happens to 17-year-old Susan.. She realizes that something's quite wrong, and decides to sort of go under cover, to find out what really happened.
I really liked this book, because I thought that it was really realistic. I liked the way that Susan handled what was given to her, as far as saying no to drugs. She did exactly that, and she was such a strong character through out the book.
I also liked the way that the author made her characters talk. It was in a really realistic fashion, and I almost thought that I was there, going through what Susan was.
What I didn't like about this book. The fact that it had to end... :-)
I really liked this book, because I thought that it was really realistic. I liked the way that Susan handled what was given to her, as far as saying no to drugs. She did exactly that, and she was such a strong character through out the book.
I also liked the way that the author made her characters talk. It was in a really realistic fashion, and I almost thought that I was there, going through what Susan was.
What I didn't like about this book. The fact that it had to end... :-)
July 24, 2014
This was not a win, but I consider it totally my own fault, as practically everybody said it wasn't half as good as the sequel. I don't even really *have* an inner completist to blame, so not too sure why I didn't go straight to that. I'm sure this would have read a lot better when first published, but now it's really very short on charm. (I will avoid trying to work in the "means no ... harm" bit, but I bet I don't need to as all are hearing Inigo and Fezzik in their heads anyway!) It's a bit afterschool special DRUGS ARE TERRIBLE AND YOU WILL DIE and a bit trying to be "down with the kids", and with a slightly OTT villain.
I KNOW what Ellen Emerson White can write, though, and this was short, so no harm done.
I KNOW what Ellen Emerson White can write, though, and this was short, so no harm done.
September 28, 2010
I actually liked the sequel more. Probably b/c I read it first.
Sept. 27, 2010. Found a copy of this book along with its sequel at a library book sale. The cover is different than this one even though the ISBN matches. Weird.
Sept. 27, 2010. Found a copy of this book along with its sequel at a library book sale. The cover is different than this one even though the ISBN matches. Weird.
September 27, 2009
After having lived in New York for the past three years, Susan McAllister returns to Boston hoping to fit right in with old friends. She's happy to resume her relationship with Patrick and even more excited to be reunited with her best friend Colleen. Colleen however, has changed. She's lost too much weight, seems preoccupied, and is convinced a classmate was murdered when no one else suspects a thing. Susan isn't sure what to make of this accusation until Colleen herself is found dead, supposedly from a drug overdose, and Susan is determined to find out who is responsible for her best friend's murder.
Ooohhh. Feel like we're in a Sweet Valley High novel yet?
Although Susan is convinced of foul play, her parents and even Patrick don't want to hear anything about it. She's all alone on this one and as she slowly starts to tarnish her new girl reputation, Susan gets closer to danger herself as she finds out who dealt that fatal dose of LSD (I know - campy but still fun) to Colleen.
Imagine my surprise when I figured out that the Susan in Friends for Life is actually the same Susan as Meg's hall adviser at college in Long May She Reign - I guess when you have a good character you don't forget them. In Long May She Reign however, I felt like Susan was much more interesting and developed (funny, since she's only a secondary character in that one). Unlike her later books, Friends For Life has a bit of sensationalism to it (upper class teens overdosing on drugs) and is more focused on the drama rather than letting the action be driven by the characters themselves. Which is okay, it just doesn't create the depth which I'm come to associate with Ellen Emerson White's other novels. This difference is most likely due to the fact that Friends for Life is Ellen Emerson White's first novel, written while written while still a student herself. So however much I enjoyed this book, it definitely had a few quirks and didn't pull me in quite as much. That's not to say I didn't enjoy Susan. She's so full of loyalty and courage, it's hard not to like her.
Ooohhh. Feel like we're in a Sweet Valley High novel yet?
Although Susan is convinced of foul play, her parents and even Patrick don't want to hear anything about it. She's all alone on this one and as she slowly starts to tarnish her new girl reputation, Susan gets closer to danger herself as she finds out who dealt that fatal dose of LSD (I know - campy but still fun) to Colleen.
Imagine my surprise when I figured out that the Susan in Friends for Life is actually the same Susan as Meg's hall adviser at college in Long May She Reign - I guess when you have a good character you don't forget them. In Long May She Reign however, I felt like Susan was much more interesting and developed (funny, since she's only a secondary character in that one). Unlike her later books, Friends For Life has a bit of sensationalism to it (upper class teens overdosing on drugs) and is more focused on the drama rather than letting the action be driven by the characters themselves. Which is okay, it just doesn't create the depth which I'm come to associate with Ellen Emerson White's other novels. This difference is most likely due to the fact that Friends for Life is Ellen Emerson White's first novel, written while written while still a student herself. So however much I enjoyed this book, it definitely had a few quirks and didn't pull me in quite as much. That's not to say I didn't enjoy Susan. She's so full of loyalty and courage, it's hard not to like her.
April 25, 2012
This book lacked the charm of its sequel Life Without Friends. LWF had something extra to it than your average whodounit. It was more than a YA mystery. This was better than the Sweet Valley High series but because I'd read LWF already I was expecting it to be as good.
The book had good points. The grief over her friend was palpable. Her dead friend was more realised than her boyfriend. The villain was scarier in LWF. Here he was your average villain you might see pushing drugs in a Nancy Drew pc videogame. This book lacked the danger one should experience if they are going undercover in a drug cartel.
"Listen... I'm not into pushy girls."
This book felt exactly like a Nancy Drew game actually.
The book had good points. The grief over her friend was palpable. Her dead friend was more realised than her boyfriend. The villain was scarier in LWF. Here he was your average villain you might see pushing drugs in a Nancy Drew pc videogame. This book lacked the danger one should experience if they are going undercover in a drug cartel.
"Listen... I'm not into pushy girls."
This book felt exactly like a Nancy Drew game actually.
July 30, 2009
Doesn't hold a candle to White's Meg Powers books.
August 13, 2014
It’s nice that Susan wants to try to find out who murdered her friend, but at the same time, it just felt so sudden. Like literally she was like, “I’m going to find out who murdered Colleen!” right after the funeral. No real grieving time? It just was a tad unrealistic. Also, I understand she has to go to certain lengths to find out information, but does she really have to compromise her self-respect? I mean she’s actually letting a guy touch her in uncomfortable ways. She outright says that she doesn’t like this, but she keeps quiet and refuses to tell him to stop, all for the sake of getting involved with him and his crowd so that she can try to find out who did it. Would her friend really want that?
I have mixed feelings about Susan, because on the one hand I feel for her and her loss and on the other hand, she just goes too far in putting herself in the most dangerous situations, and it’s frustrating.
Patrick is one of the worst friends ever. You’d think that if you thought your friend was starting to do drugs, especially after losing another friend, you’d go and talk to them and try to help them. But not…instead he keeps glaring at her and storming off—at one point he even pushes past her. WHAT A FUCKING JACKASS. I actually LIKED the part where she was telling him off, even if it was all just an act. I don’t know why we were supposed to feel sorry for him. This is getting really old. All these characters (generally male) that are made out to be sweethearts or gentlemen that we’re supposed to like, but they in actuality are jackasses. And usually there’s a worse guy in the book to make them look better. It’s kind of manipulative. But I don’t fall for it.
Even though Beverly is made out to be the bitch in this book, I guess since I’d read Life Without Friends a while back, I had a soft spot for her. Especially since all the other supposed innocent characters in here were annoying. At least she was made out to be antagonistic. At least she never tried to portray herself as some good girl. At least she knew she was bad, rather than kidding herself like these other idiots. And she was just as much of a victim—probably more—of abuse and threats than Susan. Yet in the next book Beverly is treated horribly by everyone, including her own father!
The ending was somewhat sweet and sad, I’ll admit. But that literally wasn’t until the last couple pages, which I guess isn’t so bad in a 171 page book to begin with, but let’s think about this: I started this book in December and didn’t finish it until now. I know I’m a slow reader, but that is NOT why it took me so long to get through this book. It took me a while because it was simply boring and annoying. I kept putting it off to read other stuff.
I got this book in a book haul online from Amazon and Barnes&Noble, a bunch of older teen books from the 80s and 90s, because I’m a sucker for old stuff. I’ve read two of them so far, and they were both bad…I’m really hoping the others are decent!!!
One last thing. There is a part in this book where Susan says something along the lines of, “A person can only have one best friend!”
…
That right there should let you know of the intellectual quality of this book.
I have mixed feelings about Susan, because on the one hand I feel for her and her loss and on the other hand, she just goes too far in putting herself in the most dangerous situations, and it’s frustrating.
Patrick is one of the worst friends ever. You’d think that if you thought your friend was starting to do drugs, especially after losing another friend, you’d go and talk to them and try to help them. But not…instead he keeps glaring at her and storming off—at one point he even pushes past her. WHAT A FUCKING JACKASS. I actually LIKED the part where she was telling him off, even if it was all just an act. I don’t know why we were supposed to feel sorry for him. This is getting really old. All these characters (generally male) that are made out to be sweethearts or gentlemen that we’re supposed to like, but they in actuality are jackasses. And usually there’s a worse guy in the book to make them look better. It’s kind of manipulative. But I don’t fall for it.
Even though Beverly is made out to be the bitch in this book, I guess since I’d read Life Without Friends a while back, I had a soft spot for her. Especially since all the other supposed innocent characters in here were annoying. At least she was made out to be antagonistic. At least she never tried to portray herself as some good girl. At least she knew she was bad, rather than kidding herself like these other idiots. And she was just as much of a victim—probably more—of abuse and threats than Susan. Yet in the next book Beverly is treated horribly by everyone, including her own father!
The ending was somewhat sweet and sad, I’ll admit. But that literally wasn’t until the last couple pages, which I guess isn’t so bad in a 171 page book to begin with, but let’s think about this: I started this book in December and didn’t finish it until now. I know I’m a slow reader, but that is NOT why it took me so long to get through this book. It took me a while because it was simply boring and annoying. I kept putting it off to read other stuff.
I got this book in a book haul online from Amazon and Barnes&Noble, a bunch of older teen books from the 80s and 90s, because I’m a sucker for old stuff. I’ve read two of them so far, and they were both bad…I’m really hoping the others are decent!!!
One last thing. There is a part in this book where Susan says something along the lines of, “A person can only have one best friend!”
…
That right there should let you know of the intellectual quality of this book.
June 12, 2009
Retro read! A super-speedy slice of a book that transported me back to my high school years for an hour or two -- though mine weren't nearly so scandalous as those depicted in this book (drugs! murder! intrigue!). Not quite as good as any of White's other books, but this was her first, and I still very much respect the fact that she wrote it while she was in college. The gal knows plot and motivation, I'll give her that.
March 12, 2014
While gathering some YA books, I found my very old copy of this novel (which might be out of print) and re-read it. The main character returns to her Boston suburb after being away for several years and discovers one of her friends is consumed by drugs. Later, she's murdered. It's highly entertaining in pulpy, Lifetime movie sort of way and holds up well thirty years later. :)
April 24, 2014
I will always LOVE this book - but when I read it I have to admit that it is dated and not as good as I believed it to be when I first read it at 13 years old. But I still love it. And like the President's Daughter series - I'll always be a big fan of Ellen Emerson White for giving me Susan and Meg for friends.
August 5, 2017
3.5 stars.
This was White's first book and it definitely showed. I first read this book in the 80s and hunted it down after finishing the President's Daughter quartet since Susan McAllister is also in that last book. This story is less complex then her more recent books but it's still a fun story.
This was White's first book and it definitely showed. I first read this book in the 80s and hunted it down after finishing the President's Daughter quartet since Susan McAllister is also in that last book. This story is less complex then her more recent books but it's still a fun story.
October 9, 2014
Friends for Life is Ellen Emerson White's first novel, and it does show. The stiff 80s dialogue is there, but more so, with too many repetitions. This novel's quick read about a girl trying to identify her friend's killer (death ruled as overdose or suicide).
19/60 tbr box.
19/60 tbr box.
May 30, 2012
I actually read this after Life without Friends (it was actually years later that I even found a copy of this one). Though this book does not resonate with me like book 2 it was still good to see how it all started. In retrospect, I do wish that I had read them in order.
April 15, 2019
My teen-aged self would have really liked this. As it is, this is good, but I really only read it as the book before Life Without Friends, which is the book I'm actually interested in reading.
November 3, 2008
Pretty good - a little bit light-weight. I can totally tell that this is written by the same authorial voice as The President's Daughter et al, so that probably helped endear me to it.
November 20, 2008
Definitely enjoyed it. If Ellen Emerson White wanted to update this one like she has her President's Daughter series, I would be very much okay with that.
July 20, 2014
I would have liked to see more about the aftermath, about how it was handled.
February 17, 2016
Oh dear. This didn't work very well at all. I don't even know what . . . happened. I mean, I guess I do, but the plot just plodded along and the characters's actions didn't make much sense to me.
November 28, 2015
yawn. i read this because susan mcallister was a character in "long may she reign." somehow this managed to be the most boring book about drugs and murder i have ever read.
August 10, 2016
This is pretty much the only book by Ellen Emerson White that I do not particularly enjoy. It is alright but nowhere near on par with her other works.
December 9, 2018
2.5 stars
September 22, 2023
For a book that is 40 years old (I can't believe I just typed 40 YEARS OLD!), "Friends for Life" by Ellen Emerson White holds up fairly well. "Friends for Life" was Ellen Emerson White's debut in 1983. I don't think I read the book the year it was released, but likely a year or so later, probably picking my copy up from our local Waldenbooks.
This YA mystery focuses on Susan who has moved back to her old Boston neighborhood for her senior year of high school after having been gone since the eighth grade. Her old boyfriend is still there as is Colleen, her best friend since childhood. The day after she moves back, her best friend turns up dead by an overdose. Susan is devastated but doesn't believe it was an overdose or suicide. Because of something Colleen had said, Susan is convinced it's murder and sets about trying to find the killer.
"Friends for Life is a fast read, shorter than a lot of YA books of today, but it's got a decent mystery that will keep a reader turning pages. I can't remember when I last read it, but it was one that I had reread multiple times as a teen and it was fun to come back to it. I still like it. For an 80s mystery, it's a good and I'd recommend it.
This YA mystery focuses on Susan who has moved back to her old Boston neighborhood for her senior year of high school after having been gone since the eighth grade. Her old boyfriend is still there as is Colleen, her best friend since childhood. The day after she moves back, her best friend turns up dead by an overdose. Susan is devastated but doesn't believe it was an overdose or suicide. Because of something Colleen had said, Susan is convinced it's murder and sets about trying to find the killer.
"Friends for Life is a fast read, shorter than a lot of YA books of today, but it's got a decent mystery that will keep a reader turning pages. I can't remember when I last read it, but it was one that I had reread multiple times as a teen and it was fun to come back to it. I still like it. For an 80s mystery, it's a good and I'd recommend it.
July 6, 2021
I loved White's President's Daughter series (and didn't realize there was a 4th book), so grabbed this library discard even though it was severely stained. Well, it was written in the late 1980s and that dates the slang quite a bit. I still enjoyed the suspense and the characters. There is a second book in this duology that I'll be looking for.
July 14, 2020
I love Ellen Emerson White, but you can tell this is a first novel.
December 14, 2020
i was too mature for this kind of thing when i was a teen but now that i'm in my 30's i've regressed to the point where i can't resist it
November 19, 2023
3.5 it was fun seeing more Susan McAllister who I loved in "Long May She Reign" and getting her background
February 11, 2024
A year ago I found this book at a used book store in providence and I finally picked it up and it was not good ❤️ the whole thing felt sponsored by dare
December 28, 2020
Not as good as Life Without Friends.
October 15, 2021
I am highly enjoying it. But it is a flimsy wee story. Sometimes that's what you want. Everytime Susan stumbles showily in the school hallway, someone is like: "Pills"! It's never more specific...like which "pills" she's supposedly on, anyway.
Cute, earnest- love the details of Boston for someone who hasn't had the chance to visit.
Go Susan!!!
Will she go on a date with the nice guy? Who knows. The bad guy, drug dealing, sociopath jock will get his comeuppance through Susan's efforts- of that I have no doubt. 80's fun.
Cute, earnest- love the details of Boston for someone who hasn't had the chance to visit.
Go Susan!!!
Will she go on a date with the nice guy? Who knows. The bad guy, drug dealing, sociopath jock will get his comeuppance through Susan's efforts- of that I have no doubt. 80's fun.
December 28, 2016
This was my favorite of Ellen Emerson White's books. I still remember it quite vividly.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews