The Toxic Friend

by Nicole Trope

Keep your enemies close… and your best friends closer.

I watch Victoria and Reese leaving their favourite coffee shop arm-in-arm. They like to go there to catch up, brag about their perfect husbands and their perfect children.

But I know the truth. Behind those big smiles, Reese and Victoria have kept each other close so they can watch each other. Their friendship is toxic. And their lives are built on one big lie.

I carefully snap another photograph to add to my collection. Neither of them knows I see everything they do. They’ll find out soon enough, when I bring their lies out into the open. Then it will be just the three of us, together again after all these years.

Because the past is coming back to bite these two women…

It’s me. I’m the past. Here I come.

A totally addictive psychological thriller by million-copy bestseller Nicole Trope that will have you racing through the pages late into the night! Fans of Andrea Mara, Shari Lapena and Freida McFadden won’t be able to put this down.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense

286 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 26, 2026

About the author

Nicole Trope writes psychological thrillers about families in crisis and the secrets we keep from ourselves and others. She has always been fascinated by the stories behind the headlines and published her first novel in 2012. In 2026 she will publish her 20th novel with Bookouture. She is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS, Canada and Germany. Her books have been translated into German, Italian, Polish, Hungarian and French and Japanese.
She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children
Current Publication: What Have You Done?-October 17th 2025
Next publication: A Perfectly Nice Family: March 6th 2026

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twenty years ago Victoria, Reese and Camilla were friends until Camilla left the group. Now after many years Camilla is back with revenge on her mind. The story is told from the POVs of each of the women, in the past and in the present. It all flows very nicely with lots of suspense and emotional drama.

The book should really be entitled Three Toxic Friends since none of the three actually meet the requirements for what a friend should be. This is part of what makes it a good psychological thriller where the twists and turns keep the reader riveted to the page. Another hit from this author. Four stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead,” but what do you do when there are three? This thriller had so many twists and turns that my head was spinning. It’s addictive and fast-paced, and it had me reading every chance I could. “ Maybe there are no concrete truths and lies when it comes to human beings. Maybe it's all somewhere in between because we all have our own versions of events.” Secrets and friendships prove to be a deadly combination as truths are revealed and lives are changed forever. “ Truths? Lies? Does it matter?” Is there such a thing as a truly “good” person, or are we all flawed? This thriller explores the meaning of being a true friend and the fallout when lies are exposed. I loved every twisted minute of this twisted tale. Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

[daniela weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was fun to wonder who the titular
toxic friend was in the middle of such
toxicity—but the motivation behind the
stalking totally lost me, and the main
twist ended up ringing a bit silly. :x

[Susan Belman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who needs enemies when you have friends like these?

**The Toxic Friend** is packed with jealousy, secrets, lies, betrayals, and enough red flags to cover an entire football field. These women call each other friends, but beneath the surface there's so much envy, resentment, and quiet malice that it's amazing they lasted as long as they did. What really worked for me was the tension between the characters. The story captures that awful realization that someone you trusted completely never actually cared about you the way you cared about them. The friendship dynamics were messy, toxic, and surprisingly compelling. I found myself completely invested in seeing how everything would eventually explode.

The pacing started a little rocky for me, but once the story found its footing, I was hooked. Every secret, betrayal, and new revelation pulled me deeper into the drama. By the second half, I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen to these women and whether any of them would make it out of the fallout unscathed. Now, let’s be real, this definitely requires a willingness to suspend disbelief. If you start picking apart every detail, you'll probably have a harder time with it. But if you sit back and enjoy the ride, it's a highly entertaining, soapy thriller full of twists, secrets, and spectacularly unhealthy friendships.
This book delivered exactly what I was looking for: plenty of drama, plenty of dysfunction, and characters who made me grateful my own friend circle is very, very small.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reese and Victoria are stunned when they begin receiving threatening letters that appear to have been sent by their former friend, Camilla. They have no idea why she has suddenly resurfaced after years of silence, but both women know they have secrets from their shared past that they desperately want to keep hidden. If Camilla is reaching out now, she must want something, and whatever it is could unravel everything they have hoped to leave behind.

If you enjoy stories featuring unreliable narrators, you’ll quickly recognize that no one in this novel is entirely trustworthy. Nicole Trope does an excellent job developing her characters, gradually peeling back the layers of their personalities and revealing that no one is as innocent as they first appear.

Like every Nicole Trope novel I’ve read, The Toxic Friend immediately captured my attention. It’s a fast-paced psychological thriller filled with taut suspense, well-placed twists, and clever red herrings that kept me guessing until the very end. The shocking conclusion left me breathless. I can’t wait to see what Trope writes next because I’m sure it will be just as compelling.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept me guessing..finished it in a day.

[Sam Stoddard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A toxic friend was an okay read, but it wasn’t one of my favorite Nicole Trope novels. The story had an incredibly interesting premise and kept me curious enough to keep reading, but it did feel like it dragged in place and could have been shorter. I felt like there was a lot of talking around this big secret but then there was not really a big reveal.

I was not really a fan of the ending either. After such an incredibly long buildup, it felt very abrupt, and I was left wanting a little more closure about all of the “horrible” things they supposedly did. It almost felt like the story wrapped up too quickly compared to how much time was spent developing the plot. My biggest issue was that the story felt like it dragged a little in certain parts. There were a few moments where the pacing was incredibly slow, and that made it feel like the book could have been a bit shorter and more focused. I also felt like there were maybe a few too many twists that weren't really wrapped up or explained. With so many reveals happening, I sometimes felt like I was left trying to connect the dots instead of fully experiencing the impact and surprise of each twist.

Overall, still a decent thriller and a fun read, but it didn’t have the same *gasping* ending as some of Nicole Tropes other books.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many women these days seem to have a "toxic friend" in their early lives and it's pretty frightening! Reese gets a message about her past and knows she has secrets that she doesn't want exposed. But who could know--especially since one of their friend group is now dead?? Going back and forth in time, we see how these women remain close even as their hidden lives come to light and reveal just who we can become if threatened!

[Maggie61 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would you know if you had a toxic friend? Do you ever really know your friends? Are there big secrets they haven’t told you? What holds friendships together?

Reese and Victoria were best friends first. Then Camilla joined and they became a threesome. Camilla’s childhood was a train wreck whereas Reese and Victoria’s was more entitled. Is it only natural that Camilla would be jealous and resentful even though they were close friends? Then everything exploded and went wrong and Victoria and Reese were back to being a twosome and Camilla became a distant memory.

Now it’s 16 years later. Victoria and Reese are still close friend. They are regularly in each others lives, their kids are friends. But now it seems Camilla is back and wants revenge starting with messages and then takes a more frightening turn. Are all the secrets going to be exposed? Will a friendship mixed with lies survive?

I don’t know where I have been and not been more aware of Nicole Trope’s books. There are so many and the ones I have read were all enjoyed. I think I have purchased the rest of the ones I didn’t have either by hard copy or ereader. I have a lot to look forward to.

[Valery Espinoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book really illustrates how fucked up women can be toward one another, especially when jealousy, resentment, insecurity, and secrets become involved. For me, Camille is at the root of a lot of the issues, but I also feel like she needs to get off her high horse and take accountability for her own actions. If I had a roommate like that, I honestly would want to kick her out too. At the same time, I think the entire trio was built on secrets, lies, and manipulation. Victoria may have hidden things from Reese because she genuinely believed she was protecting her, but I also think there was a part of Victoria that secretly wanted to sabotage Reese. The fact that she knowingly kept the truth about Camille sleeping with Reese’s fiancé from her is especially telling. Even if Victoria convinced herself that she was protecting Reese from being hurt, withholding that information ultimately took away Reese’s ability to make her own decisions.

I also think Victoria almost thrived on seeing Reese as this harmless, innocent butterfly—someone she believed could do no wrong. She almost romanticized Reese’s innocence and put her on this pedestal where Reese was the good, sweet, naive one who needed to be protected. But the second Victoria realizes that Reese has a darker side and is capable of making questionable decisions of her own, her entire perception of her changes. I found that really interesting because it made me question whether Victoria actually loved Reese for who she was or whether she loved the idea of being Reese’s savior. Victoria seemed to have this huge savior complex. She needed to feel like Reese needed her, and once she realized that Reese wasn't as helpless as she had imagined, she started withdrawing. By the end of the book, she practically stops talking to her altogether. To me, that says a lot. It almost feels like Victoria’s role in the friendship depended on Reese being someone she could rescue, guide, or protect. Once Reese showed that she could survive without her, Victoria no longer knew where she fit into the relationship.

And then there’s Camille, who honestly is the type of person I would not want to be around in real life. She was such a joy-sucker to me. Everything became about the hand she was dealt and how unfair life had been to her. And yes, I can understand that she went through things at a young age that shaped her, but at some point you have to take accountability for the person you become. Trauma can explain someone's behavior, but it doesn't excuse everything they do. Camille constantly gave me this “woe is me” energy, and it felt like she used her past almost as a shield from accountability. Instead of dealing with her pain, she seemed to project it onto the people around her.

She also gave me major **Rubí** vibes from the Mexican telenovela. She reminded me of Rubí because of that jealousy toward her best friend and the obsession with proving that she could take what her friend had. Camille envied Reese, and instead of confronting that insecurity, she acted on it by sleeping with Reese’s fiancé. And what makes it worse is that it didn't even feel like it was purely about attraction. It felt like she wanted to prove a point to herself and to Reese that she could have what Reese had. That is what made her actions feel so calculated and cruel to me. She wasn't just betraying her friend; she was trying to knock Reese off the pedestal she had placed her on in her own mind.

And honestly, the whole situation with the baby made me feel like Camille had completely lost touch with reality. Her thinking that she could just keep the baby despite everything that had happened felt incredibly delusional to me. It was like she kept creating this fantasy where she could somehow control the outcome and make everything work in her favor, even when the circumstances were obviously disastrous. She seemed so desperate to hold onto something that would validate her choices that she couldn't see how much damage had already been done.

But I also don't think Reese is completely innocent either. That's what I appreciated about the book. Victoria sees Reese as this innocent butterfly who can do no wrong, but eventually we see that Reese has her own darkness too. She's not simply the helpless victim that everyone assumes she is. Once that side of Reese comes out, the entire dynamic between the three women starts changing. It's almost as if the friendship was built around everyone playing a specific role: Victoria was the savior, Reese was the innocent butterfly, and Camille was the wounded outsider. Once those roles started falling apart, so did the friendship itself.

I think I actually relate to Reese a lot, especially when it comes to being someone who is too nice and naturally wants to see the good in everyone. Sometimes when you're constantly trying to understand why someone behaves the way they do, you start suppressing your own negative feelings toward that person because you feel bad for them. You make excuses for them, you empathize with their circumstances, and eventually you start minimizing the way they hurt you. Reese does this in a lot of ways throughout the book, and I found myself recognizing that tendency in myself.

I've done this before where someone has genuinely wronged me, but instead of allowing myself to simply be angry or acknowledge that what they did was wrong, I start thinking, *What could I have done differently? Could I have prevented this? Maybe if I had said this instead of that, or acted differently, things wouldn't have happened this way.* Somehow, I end up carrying the burden of someone else's actions as if they were my responsibility. And I think that's one of the most emotionally exhausting things about being someone who constantly wants to see the good in people. You can become so focused on understanding someone else's pain that you completely forget that **your own pain deserves to be understood too.**

That's what I connected with in Reese. Being empathetic doesn't mean you have to take responsibility for someone else's choices. Being a good person doesn't mean you have to keep giving people the benefit of the doubt when they're actively hurting you. And sometimes, trying so hard to understand *why* someone hurt you can prevent you from simply acknowledging that they **did** hurt you.

I think that's why Reese's emotional decline throughout the book hit me. She carries so much internally because she's constantly trying to process everyone else's behavior while simultaneously questioning her own. And eventually, that takes an emotional toll. I know what it's like to replay situations in your head and wonder what you could have done differently, even when logically you know another person's actions weren't your fault. You start carrying guilt that doesn't belong to you.

In a weird way, I think that's what made Reese's character more complicated for me. I don't see her as completely innocent, but I understand why she became the way she did. Sometimes when you're constantly swallowing your anger, disappointment, and resentment because you're trying to be understanding, those feelings don't just disappear. They build up. And eventually, that “harmless butterfly” Victoria saw in Reese starts to reveal a darker side not necessarily because Reese was secretly a terrible person, but because there was only so much she could suppress before everything started coming to the surface.

And that's what I think makes all three women so interesting. None of them are completely innocent, but none of them are simply evil either. They are all carrying their own insecurities, wounds, resentments, and distorted perceptions of one another. The problem is that instead of confronting those things honestly, they project them onto each other. Victoria needs to be needed. Camille needs to feel like she hasn't been dealt the worst hand in life. Reese wants to believe there is good in everyone, even when doing so comes at the expense of herself.

I think that's ultimately what happened with all three of them. They had built this friendship around a facade, and eventually the cracks became impossible to ignore. All three women had serious issues that they were either unwilling or unable to confront. Victoria had her savior complex, Camille had her resentment, jealousy, and victim mentality, and Reese had a darker side that she had managed to keep hidden for much of the story. They were all projecting their own ideas onto one another instead of actually seeing each other for who they were.

That's why I think the book does such a good job showing how women can hurt each other in ways that aren't always obvious. Sometimes it isn't outright hatred. It's jealousy, competition, resentment, secrecy, manipulation, and convincing yourself that you're doing something “for her” when you're actually making choices that benefit you too. They thought they were friends, but so much of their relationship was based on assumptions about who the other person was supposed to be.

And I think that's the saddest part. Victoria didn't really see Reese; she saw the innocent butterfly she wanted Reese to be. Camille didn't really see Reese as her friend; she saw someone who had everything she felt she deserved. And Reese, in her attempt to see the best in everyone, sometimes failed to see the reality of the people around her. They were all looking at each other through their own insecurities instead of actually seeing one another.

Every single one of these women had moments where they could have simply been honest, communicated, or taken accountability, but instead they chose secrecy and manipulation. And by the end, the facade was completely gone. The cracks in their friendship were finally exposed, and honestly, I think all three of them were responsible for those cracks in different ways.

My biggest takeaway from the book is that **you can have empathy for someone's circumstances without excusing how they treat you.** You can understand someone's trauma and still hold them accountable. And most importantly, you can acknowledge that someone hurt you without immediately asking yourself what *you* did to deserve it or what *you* could have done to prevent it. Reese's story reminded me how emotionally exhausting it can be when you're constantly carrying everyone else's feelings while neglecting your own.

In the end, I think this book is really about the danger of putting people on pedestals, whether you're idealizing them, saving them, envying them, or constantly making excuses for them. Eventually, the person you've created in your head doesn't match the real person standing in front of you. And when that illusion finally breaks, you have to decide whether you actually know how to love and accept the person for who they are or whether you only loved the version of them that made you feel comfortable.

[_blondebooknerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Nicole Trope, and Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

📅 Publication Date: June 26, 2026 — Available Now!

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💀 Toxic friendships. Buried secrets. A past that refuses to stay buried.

Say less. 👏

I absolutely flew through The Toxic Friend. From the very beginning, I was hooked and needed to know what these women were hiding. Every chapter had me questioning who I could trust, and I was more than happy to go along for the messy ride.

👀 One of my favorite things?

I didn’t see the ending coming… until I was almost there.

Once all the puzzle pieces started falling into place, I was able to guess the twist. Thankfully, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment because I was still completely invested in seeing how everything would unfold.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🤔 Was it perfect?

No… but it was entertaining.

There were a few plot holes that left me with questions, and I found myself wishing certain details had been explored a little more.

Because of that, this probably lands closer to a ⭐ 3.5-star read ⭐ for me…

✨ But we’re rounding up today. ✨

Why?

Because I had fun. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Not every thriller has to completely blow my mind to be enjoyable. Sometimes I just want something that keeps me glued to the pages, and The Toxic Friend absolutely did that.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

📚 Read this if you love:

🔪 Domestic thrillers

☕ Toxic female friendships

🤫 Long-buried secrets

👀 Multiple POVs

💥 Family drama

🧩 Slowly unraveling mysteries

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

💭 Final Thoughts

Overall, I had a great time with this one. While it wasn’t without its flaws, it kept me entertained from beginning to end, and that’s exactly what I want from a popcorn thriller.

I’ll definitely be picking up more from Nicole Trope in the future!

Happy reading! ❤️📚

[beccabeccabooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever played the game 'One truth and two lies?'

Well... this trio of friends takes it to the next level.

Camilla, Reece and Victoria used to be extremely close twenty years ago. Then came the ultimate betrayal. Camilla was booted out whilst Reece and Victoria remained best friends.

Now, Camilla is watching their every move. And she wants revenge to be best solved cold.

Okay, I have to admit that The Toxic Friend was a bit over the shop. Some strong parts, a slow start and a resolution that was just lacklustre and didn't make much sense. However, overall- I couldn't help but continue reading just to see where everything would go.

Who needs enemies when you have friends like these?

Oh, boy. Nearly everyone was toxic which made the title seem extremely appropriate.

Insane, completely insane. But here I am writing a review.

I'm torn between a 3.5 and 4, so....

3.75 🌟

[Nessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m sure that we are all familiar with the phrase “keep your enemies close and your friends closer” , well this certainly comes into play in this story.

This was a great story, full on entertaining from start to finish, and very well written. There was truths, lies, betrayals, jealousy and a whole host of secrets, you literally didn’t know who to trust at times. Oh and another familiar phrase that is true in this story “It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for” so very true.

Anyway if you love a good psychological thriller that will take you for a ride that will keep you captivated and keep you in suspense as to what will happen next, then be sure to give this book a try. Oh and keep a sharp eye out for those red herrings.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this as a first look, through Netgalley! I have never read this author, but the summary seemed intriguing.
I was questioning everything I believed about our characters, and I was surprised by the twist. My mind had something else entirely happening at the end.
All of our characters seemed a bit toxic, and the author did a great job of making the reader second guess everything and everyone.
I loved it, and I would definitely recommend.

The only reason a 5th star was not given was due to some parts of the plot not being entirely cleaned up. I was left wondering what happened? Did the author forget? Maybe I missed a sentence? Other than that, it was a great book!
Thank you Netgalley. I will now be reading more of Nicole Trope's books!

[𝕬𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖆 𝕸𝖆𝖗𝖎𝖊 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started off with a slow pacing but once I really got into this, I was hooked! The big reveal was a little silly and it came to an abrupt ending where everything got tied up really fast, but I still think this was a fun popcorn thriller and I enjoyed reading this for the most part!

[Mike Shockley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was pretty damn good! Do we know who is toxic from the start? Well don’t worry it doesn’t take long! Should be called The Toxic Friends! Loving this author and can’t wait to read others! If you’re a fan, just read it.

[Donna J. Murphy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I couldn’t find a person to like in this novel about a ditched friend of a threesome ( that never works) and her being perturbed for 16 friggin years. Good grief.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the premise of the book, I knew this novel would be right up my street. Victoria and Reese have been friends for years, although they’ve married and had children, they still meet up regularly to beat an out their husbands and perfect children. But it appears not everything is as it seems. It’s a rock friendship built on a lie. And it appears their lies are soon to be revealed. A pacy, psychological thriller that will keep you enthralled to the end. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

[Alisha Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one kept me guessing. So many secrets and lies.

[Steph Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fun read - maybe 3.75:5.
The characters were morally ambiguous, lacked self awareness and tbh... also... weren't all that bright. 😩 The hypocrisy was wild. There were also many parallels that they never specifically got into but that we were obviously supposed to pick up on. The hypocrisy was pretty overwhelming. But it's possible the author did that on purpose.But still & again, it was a funny & interesting read. A good beach book. 🏖️

[Sunyoung Peony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last 20 chapters gave me a sleepless night. The psychological tension is suffocating because it captures the exact, agonizing moment you realize a friend never actually cared about you at all. It exposes the sickening grief of realizing you were FIERCELY LOYAL to a friend who only ever viewed you as competition. And the person you trusted most was actually the one poisoning your life.

"Keep your enemies close… and your best friends closer" isn't just a catchy phrase but a terrifying truth because it genuinely happens in REAL life. This is a creepy thriller that proves your worst enemy might be sitting right next to you.

The Story and the Characters
So, this story is all about three women who seem to have a "not-so-nice" friendship because it's mixed with poisonous envy and quiet malice. It is full of secrets, lies, and calculated betrayals! All just for their own SELFISH survival.

❌Reese is the type of friend who is a desperate people-pleaser. She will do absolutely anything to make everyone comfortable at her own expense, completely terrified to create chaos even when standing up for the truth. To be honest, I completely underestimated Reese. Thinking she was just weak! But Ma'am her twisted, spineless secrets disgusted me! OMG!

❌Victoria is the type of friend who teaches you how to be brave, how to FIGHT DIRTY and how to just be yourself as long as you believe you're right. "People-pleaser" is definitely not in her vocabulary, and she’s willing to destroy anyone who gets in her way just to prove a point. She reminds me of someone I used to trust in an online community and it hurts to read. Victoria is the type of person who will completely destroy someone’s mental health just because she's angry. I absolutely despise her character. Sorry, not sorry.

❌Camilla is the type of friend you just can’t save. She is someone who genuinely LOVES DROWNING in her own toxicity. She’s the kind of friend who will "happily drag you down" with her so she doesn't have to drown alone. You will despise her throughout the book, but you'll feel sick with pity for her once you learn her REAL BACKSTORY. You will learn that not all villains are born monsters. Some are made by the very people they trusted.

Lines from this book made me a little sick and sad at the same time because imagine having a friend who thinks of you like this... with pure, hidden resentment. It brings out this uncomfortable truth that no matter how GENUINE you are with someone, they’ll still secretly hate on your happiness and low-key wish for your downfall.

"But when I try to figure out how I'm feeling about what she's said, I realise I'm feeling jealous."

"They don't deserve what they have."

"Every time I hear about something good happening in their lives, I feel a dark-green snake of envy slither through my body."

"Probably were only ever best friends in my imagination, if I think about it."

"...throwing in a few lies for good measure, quite a lot of lies."

Overall, this book will make you realize that you have to learn to WALK ALONE, stay brave, and never easily trust someone who uses a sweet smile to hide a bitter heart. Who only loves you when you're struggling. Don't trap yourself in a loyalty that will eventually destroy you. Don't get yourself stuck in a fake friendship relationship that drains your peace just to keep them happy.

But honestly, the most powerful lesson the author (Nicole Trope) leaves you with is this... surviving a toxic friendship teaches you how to grow a spine. It forces you to realize that cutting out people who secretly resent your success isn't a loss. It's the ultimate win for your own sanity and happiness.

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NOTE: Anyway, I’m so incredibly grateful I got to read an ARC of this. I literally prayed to be chosen as a reader because so much of this story hits home and reminds me of an old friendship I had to deal with in real life. This is my personal opinion about the book. My goal is to share my experience, not to change anyone's perspective. Thank you to Nicole Trope and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this early.

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[Barbara Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Toxic Friend
Author: Nicole Trope
Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: June 26, 2026
My Rating: 4.4 Stars
Pages: 286

This is my thirteenth Nicole Trope thriller. I went into this one knowing nothing about it but I know I love this author and expect twists and turns and a great read!
Story is told from the POV of Reese, Victoria and Camill
and told in past and present.
Victoria and Reese have been best friends for over 20 years.
True there have been ups and downs and for some reason the
past is coming back to haunt them now!
That past is Camilla!

Camilla was the third member of the group but there was a falling out sixteen years ago. Recently Victoria and Reese both received a message from Camilla on their personal Instagram accounts which is typically used for clients.
Camilla threatening to expose their past and the big lie. She wants to meet with them and states they better be ready to listen.

Apparently, pictures are also being taken of the two and their families. What is the big secret, the lie from sixteen years ago and why would it matter so now?

Victoria is married to Ed, they have twin sons Cash and Dylon who are five years old. Victoria works for an advertising agency called ‘Think Tank’ and Ed was an accountant as that is something his parents wanted him to be. However, he loves music so resigns from his job and is now working part time in music production.
Reese is an event planner and married to Nick Evans who is an insurance lawyer. They have two children ~ Kayla who is nine and Max who is seven.

Things get complicated and somewhat scary when Camilla makes threats and seems to follow through with them.

Yikes! I was not sure if I could believe anyone as all seems to be guilty of something!

Story wasn’t what I expected but it sure kept me curious.

About the author~ Nicole Trope writes psychological thrillers about families in crisis and the secrets we keep from ourselves and others. She has always been fascinated by the stories behind the headlines.

I enjoyed reading her “Letter from Nicole’.
She tells us about characters development and how she always hopes for redemption for her characters. However, some of her character’s lives are cut short and they don’t get it!

I have two Questions~
1. Do you believe Reese and Victoria were innocent?
2. Anyone like me and were feeling a bit sorry for Camilla?
This story certainly left me thinking!

Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for granted me another Great Nicole Trope thriller!
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 26, 2026.

[Susan McAulay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't say this was a bad book; it was a standard psychological thriller which I find myself reading more of during the summer when heavy tomes appeal less. There are the requisite twists and turns, which are really what one tends to read such novels. It was a fast read and did not require a great deal of intellectual capacity to be engaged. It was just not anything special.

The story is told from three different perspectives. Three young women were friends...until they were not. The story is also told during time periods. The shifts in characters and time periods were clearly delineated, which is a strength. There are too many books where I need to go back and forth because I confused about who or when the author is referencing. I appreciate here that I do not have the need to do this. It is something that annoys me, especially in a psychological suspense novel, where I am looking for a fast read.

The book is fast paced. Chapters are short and the author moves things along. This is another positive for this sort of novel.

As indicated by the title, there are unlikeable characters in this book. That was to be expected and does not bother me. What did bother me was that I did not like anyone in it. I understand what the author was trying to do; generate doubt in readers as to who the toxic friend was. However the title would appear to indicate only one was truly toxic. It was hard to tell because they all seemed toxic in their own ways. I suppose that seems to be the point. However, none of the characters had any real redeeming features which made them flat and one-dimensional. A well-crafted psychological suspense novel presents nuanced characters but these were not. They all annoyed me.

One stylistic issue for me was repetition. One chapter would end with a character thinking about an event. The next one would have another character picking up on that same event with almost the same exact wording. It can make sense as a device to have two different characters look at a common event. However, they would not (nor they should) look at the event the same way and the wording should not be the same because then it does not further the plot or tell us anything about the character to differentiate her from another; it just feels repetitive.

This is for the reader that wants a fast paced suspense novel that is told from different perspectives and does not feel a need to like to be attached to any of the characters and one that keeps the readers guessing as to who the truly evil one is.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with early access to this novel. All of the opinions contained herein are completely my own.

[Jeanet Tiemessen · Rating 4 out of 5]

De toxische vriendin – Nicole Trope

Beste vriendinnen moeten elkaar kunnen vertrouwen. Maar wat als je al jarenlang bevriend bent… om elkaar in de gaten te houden? En wat als je toxische vriendin je leven wil vernietigen?
Ik zie Victoria en Reese arm in arm hun favoriete koffietentje verlaten. Ze komen daar vaak om bij te kletsen en om op te scheppen over hun perfecte mannen en gezinnen.
Maar ik weet de waarheid. Achter die valse glimlach schuilt iets duisters. Reese en Victoria blijven vriendinnen om elkaar in de gaten te houden. Het is een toxische vriendschap. En hun hele levens zijn één grote leugen.
Ik maak voorzichtig nog een foto voor mijn collectie. Ze hebben geen idee dat ik alles zie wat ze doen. Maar ze komen er snel genoeg achter wanneer ik hun leugens aan het licht breng. Dan zijn we weer met z’n drietjes, samen na al die jaren.
Want het verleden komt terug voor wraak…
Ik ben het. Ik ben het verleden. En ik kom eraan.

Cover, titel en de aansprekende synopsis maakten mij meteen enorm nieuwsgierig naar De toxische vriendin. Die nieuwsgierigheid werd door het lezen van de ijzersterke proloog alleen maar verder aangewakkerd. Nicole Trope heeft een zeer toegankelijke en prettige schrijfstijl. En dankzij de korte hoofdstukken leest het verhaal ook heerlijk vlot weg.

Het verhaal wordt verteld door sprongen tussen heden (vanuit Reese en Victoria) en verleden (vanuit Camilla). Deze sprongen worden goed aangegeven bovenaan elk hoofdstuk. Ook het perspectief wisselt tussen deze personages. We volgen de drie vrouwen die vroeger hecht bevriend waren, al was er toen ook al sprake van de nodige frictie. De echte spanning in dit boek zit niet zozeer in spectaculaire acties of gebeurtenissen, maar juist in de onderlinge psychologische verhoudingen en de voelbare dreiging tussen de personages.

Stap voor stap ontrafel je hoe deze vriendschap ooit is ontstaan, maar ook hoe de band destijds op brute wijze werd verbroken. Je leert de psychologie achter de vrouwen steeds beter kennen. Tegelijkertijd begin je je als lezer af te vragen: wie spreekt de waarheid en wie is er nog te vertrouwen als er steeds meer geheimen aan het licht komen? Want is een vriendschap die volledig is gebouwd op leugens wel echt een vriendschap te noemen? Het verhaal zet je hiermee flink aan het denken en laat je achter met de wrange conclusie: wie heeft er eigenlijk nog vijanden nodig met zulke vriendinnen?

De toxische vriendin is een boeiende psychologische thriller over gecompliceerde onderlinge relaties, jaloezie en onverbiddelijke wraak. Het is dan ook een aanrader voor liefhebbers van dit genre!

Bedankt Bookouture voor dit digitale recensie-exemplaar.

[Angel **Book Junkie** · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Nicole Trope, and Bookouture for providing me with an advanced copy of The Toxic Friend in exchange for my honest review.

Some friendships are built on trust. Others are built on secrets, manipulation, and enough red flags to decorate an entire football field. The Toxic Friend definitely falls into the second category.

Victoria and Reese have somehow managed to remain best friends despite years of lies, questionable decisions, emotional damage, and enough baggage to require its own moving truck. Reese is the ultimate doormat, while Victoria charges through life like a self-appointed superhero—except nobody asked for saving. She's bold, pushy, controlling, and firmly believes she knows what's best for everyone, whether they agree or not.

The story cleverly weaves together past and present, centering around a friendship that began unraveling years ago with a twist on the classic game of "Two Truths and a Lie." In this case, one truth and one lie set off a chain reaction that continues to impact lives decades later. The deception runs deep, and every chapter had me questioning who was telling the truth and who was rewriting history.

Now, I do have one important question: Have any of these people ever heard of 911? Because there were multiple moments where I found myself screaming, "CALL THE POLICE!" at the pages. Some of the situations felt like they should have involved law enforcement long before they escalated into complete chaos.

What made this book work so well for me was that I genuinely didn't like most of the characters. Normally that's a problem. Here, it was the point. Watching these flawed, frustrating women navigate their toxic relationship kept me glued to the pages as I tried to determine who the real villain was. Was Victoria the toxic friend? Was Reese? Or were they both contributing to the dysfunction in different ways?

Nicole Trope does an excellent job creating tension, suspicion, and emotional unease. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, another layer of secrets surfaced and sent me back to the drawing board.

Final Verdict

The Toxic Friend is a twisty, addictive psychological drama packed with manipulation, secrets, unhealthy friendships, and enough bad decisions to make you want to stage an intervention. You may not like the characters, but you'll absolutely want to know what happens to them. Grab your popcorn, prepare to yell at the pages, and enjoy the ride.

4 stars — proof that sometimes the most toxic relationships make for the most entertaining stories. 📚

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed **The Toxic Friend**. This was such a messy psychological thriller about friendship, jealousy, secrets, and how differently people can remember the exact same relationship.

The story follows **Reese and Victoria**, who have been best friends for more than twenty years. They have husbands, children, successful careers, and from the outside their lives and friendship seem pretty solid. But sixteen years ago, there was a third woman in their friendship—**Camilla**—and something happened that caused the three of them to fall apart.

Now Camilla is suddenly back.

Both Reese and Victoria begin receiving threatening messages from her saying she knows the truth about their past and is ready to expose the lie they've been keeping all these years. Even more unsettling, someone has been watching them and taking photographs of them and their families. The problem is that Reese and Victoria are keeping secrets from each other too, and neither one is completely sure what Camilla knows or what she plans to do with it.

I really liked the way this was told through **Reese, Victoria, and Camilla's different perspectives**, while also moving between the past and present. You slowly get to see how their friendship originally developed and what caused it to become so toxic. And because you're seeing events through all three women, I was constantly questioning whose version of the story I could actually trust.

None of these women are completely innocent, which honestly made the story more interesting. There is so much resentment, jealousy, manipulation, and history between them, and every time another secret came out, my opinion of the characters shifted again.

There were a few moments where the story felt repetitive and I think it could have been tightened up a little, especially in the first half. Some of the characters' decisions also had me wondering why they didn't just call the police! But once things really started unraveling, I was invested in finding out exactly what happened between these women all those years ago and what Camilla actually wanted from Reese and Victoria.

Overall, this was a twisty and entertaining psychological thriller about the darker side of female friendships and the secrets people will protect even from the person they call their best friend. **Definitely a solid four-star read for me.**

[Sonal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Victoria, Reese, and Camilla meet at a party one night and become best friends. Their friendship started with a game of telling one truth and one lie. The others have to guess which is which. They've continued this tradition through the years.
Reese was adopted by two loving parents, has an enviable life, and is nice to the core.
Victoria lost her older brother to leukemia which resulted in her parents divorce. She's always felt the need to make up for his loss.
Camilla's father left her and her mother and started a new family. Her mother doesn't really care too much about her and is more interested in keeping her new husband happy.
Now, Reese and Victoria are both married with young children and careers. They haven't spoken to Camilla since having a falling out with her sixteen years ago. Their friendship ended due to jealousy and betrayal. Now, both women are receiving messages from Camilla, threatening to expose their lies and get payback for ruining her life.
This was an interesting story about friendship, envy, revenge. I actually had moments where I felt bad for Camilla and wanted better for her. Reese came off as a bit too perfect and I think anyone would have envied her. Victoria seemed to decide which friend she liked better and excused her own behavior as "sticking up for her friend".
I have usually loved everything I have read by Nicole Trope, and was very excited for this. The story was good, but I did feel it dragged in places. While the ended was definitely unexpected, I wasn't thrilled with it. Also
*****SPOILERS AHEAD****

I really felt like Camilla's character was kind of tossed aside at the end. As if the entire book didn't revolve around her. Then to have the character just written off so casually. It really felt unfair to her and made me a bit sad. Her whole life nobody stood by her, and then the author dropped her too.
Also, why was she ok with her father having a new family but not her mom? Neither is ok, but both parents should have been held responsible, regardless of when he left them.

*****END SPOILERS*****

Overall, not my favorite book by this author but I definitely look forward to more from her! Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Toxic Friend by Nicole Trope is a recommended psychological thriller. To enjoy, know you will have to set all disbelief and doubts aside and just go with the action/story line. Trope is known for churning out a high volume of fast-paced, entertaining popcorn thrillers with soapy plots full of secrets that will hold your attention to the end.

Victoria, married to Ed, and Reese, married to Nick, have been best friends for over 20 years, experiencing many ups and downs along the way. Camilla used to be a third member of their friend group, but they all had a falling out many years ago. Now Victoria and Reese have both individually received a text from Camilla threatening to expose their big lie. Apparently pictures are also being taken of the two and their families. What is the big secret, the lie from years ago and why would it matter so many years later?

The narrative has an uneven pace at the beginning and the plot unfolds through the point-of-view of all three women and chapters are presented from in both the present and the past. The present chapter show what is happening now to Victoria and Reese, both is their family lives and through Camilla. Past chapters tell the background of the three women, along with their interpersonal interactions and struggles. It is clear that they have a history but have come to some taciturn agreement to forget the past. Remember to keep setting that disbelief aside.

The pages move quickly and the page count is low, so this is a fast read, however, it wasn't a favorite for me. It felt a little too formulaic for most of the novel until the big twists hit later. Parts were also too predictable. Additionally, at least four character have green or hazel eyes. Come on already. As someone with green eyes, they aren't that common.

The Toxic Friend is a good choice if you are looking for a quick popcorn thriller. Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2026/0...

[Ellen Van Zuilekom · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Na het lezen van “De familie aan de overkant’ was ik heel benieuwd naar deze; zou de onderhuidse spanning weer zo voelbaar zijn?

Drie vriendinnen, Reese, Victoria en Camilla. Zij hebben elkaar leren kennen op een feest, waarbij ze een spel spelen, waarbij ze elkaar iets waars vertellen en iets onwaars. Aan de andere twee aan te geven wat waar is. Telkens als zij elkaar ontmoeten spelen zij dit spel
Na een aantal jaar verdwijnt Camilla uit het leven van Reese en Victoria, totdat ze 16 jaar later opeens uit het niets weer opduikt. Zowel Reese als Victoria heeft een onheilspellend bericht ontvangen van haar, waarin gesuggereerd wordt dat hun levens op een leugen berusten.

Vanaf het eerste moment is de spanning voelbaar. De proloog zet zeker aan tot verder lezen. De meervoudige POV is superfijn, want hierdoor leer je alle drie de vrouwen goed kennen. Althans? Want ja, wat is waar en wat is de leugen?
De POV van Camilla speelt zich af in het heden, dat van de andere twee in het heden. Hierdoor ontstaat een goed beeld van de vriendschap tussen hen drietjes, het verloop er van en het eind, als Camilla niet langer deel uitmaakt van hun vriendengroep.

Dat ze allen getroebleerd zijn is zonneklaar, evenals dat ze hierdoor niet altijd het beste voor hebben met de ander. Onzekerheid versterkt afgunst, waardoor ze voor zichzelf bepaalde acties op een kromme manier recht weten te praten.

De spanning zit met name in het onderhuidse: waarom duikt Camilla nu opeens weer op in het leven van Reese en Victoria, wat wil ze hiermee bereiken?

‘De toxische vriendin’ is een psychologische thriller waarin manipulatie, controle, jaloezie en disrespect een grote rol spelen, evenals het bijbehorende schuldgevoel, waardoor ze toch naar elkaar toe blijven trekken. Het is glashelder dat al deze gevoelens schadelijk zijn en het bevriend zijn met elkaar een gevaarlijke wending lijkt te gaan nemen.

Dank aan Bookouture voor het digitale recensie-exemplaar in ruil voor mijn eerlijke mening.

[Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I want to thank Nicole Trope, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

Ohh Nicole Trope is back and this time around she introduces to a friend of hers. Not just any friend mind you…oh no this is The Toxic friend and let me tell you she is TOXIC!!! She drove me absolutely BATTY!! There were many times in this book Camilla made me ginger snap!! May I add that rarely characters rub me the wrong way but this one did. She had a vendetta and kept repeating herself over and over but didn't get to her point. It made me want to scream.

I have to say I loved how Nicole named one of her characters Reese! My sister married into the Reese family and well that is my favorite candy too. So when they had kids I nicknamed them my little Reese’s pieces (even though they are teenagers now). So, I smiled when Nicole used that name in the book.

Being on social media for various accounts I can’t imagine getting hate from someone from your past knowing they know the truth about your life and it was based on a lie. That would just freak the heck out of me for a variety of different reasons. Not to mention out of the blue years after you had not seen or heard from that person. Why are they just getting in contact with you now? What do they really want from you? Who else may they have contacted that knows anything?

A smile came to my face when I read how the names of Reese’s kids Dylan and Cash came about! What a fun story for when they become older.

OMG there are seriously massive wicked twists that will stop you dead in your tracks and you will have to pick your jaw up off the floor!!! For who you thought was sending the messages might just not be the one sending the messages at all. So….who is really The Toxic Friend?! What does this person want? Trust me you will want to add this to your TBR List!! It is one of Nicole’s must read books!