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Her Best Friend
Two girls. A murder. And a secret that binds them forever.
As a teenager, Sylvie Armstrong’s life was shattered when her best friend, Victoria Bland, was murdered. The killer has never been caught – and Sylvie has never spoken about what happened that day.
Now, two decades have gone by and after the death of her mother, Sylvie is forced to return to her home town, along with her newborn daughter – only to be confronted by the secrets that she has been running from for twenty years.
But then Sylvie receives the locket Victoria was wearing on the night she died – and it becomes clear that somebody knows what really happened to Victoria.
As Sylvie struggles to discover the truth behind the lies, she finds herself in increasing danger from those who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets. Someone who threatens not only Sylvie, but everything she loves...
Praise for Sarah Wray:
‘Absolutely brilliant. By far one of the best books of this year.’ Goodreads Reviewer
‘A chilling, page turning thriller that will have you racing through the pages till the shocking end. A taut, unputdownable thriller.’ Goodreads Reviewer
‘A book that had me on tenterhooks. Packed with tension and twists, this is an amazing, unputdownable page turner. Loved it.’ Renita D’Silva
‘A super tense ride…a really well written and thought-provoking story.’ Novel Deelights
‘A well written thriller with some intense danger moments.’ Nicki’s Life of Crime
‘A fascinating debut novel.’ Book Garden
‘Excellent writing and a real page turner. Loved the story and the twists and turns and never expected the ending.’ Consumer reviewer
As a teenager, Sylvie Armstrong’s life was shattered when her best friend, Victoria Bland, was murdered. The killer has never been caught – and Sylvie has never spoken about what happened that day.
Now, two decades have gone by and after the death of her mother, Sylvie is forced to return to her home town, along with her newborn daughter – only to be confronted by the secrets that she has been running from for twenty years.
But then Sylvie receives the locket Victoria was wearing on the night she died – and it becomes clear that somebody knows what really happened to Victoria.
As Sylvie struggles to discover the truth behind the lies, she finds herself in increasing danger from those who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets. Someone who threatens not only Sylvie, but everything she loves...
Praise for Sarah Wray:
‘Absolutely brilliant. By far one of the best books of this year.’ Goodreads Reviewer
‘A chilling, page turning thriller that will have you racing through the pages till the shocking end. A taut, unputdownable thriller.’ Goodreads Reviewer
‘A book that had me on tenterhooks. Packed with tension and twists, this is an amazing, unputdownable page turner. Loved it.’ Renita D’Silva
‘A super tense ride…a really well written and thought-provoking story.’ Novel Deelights
‘A well written thriller with some intense danger moments.’ Nicki’s Life of Crime
‘A fascinating debut novel.’ Book Garden
‘Excellent writing and a real page turner. Loved the story and the twists and turns and never expected the ending.’ Consumer reviewer
306 pages, Paperback
First published November 27, 2017
971 people are currently reading
1016 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Wray
15 books44 followers– Hi I’m Sarah. Freelance writer: Smart cities, IoT, data etc. Fiction writer too.
– My first book was published recently and my second is on its way.
– The picture on the left just about sums it up
You can write to me at sarah@sarahwray.co.uk
Sarah received a Northern Writers’ Award (Arvon Award) for an early draft of her debut novel in 2015.
– My first book was published recently and my second is on its way.
– The picture on the left just about sums it up
You can write to me at sarah@sarahwray.co.uk
Sarah received a Northern Writers’ Award (Arvon Award) for an early draft of her debut novel in 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
December 10, 2017
3.5 satisfied stars rounded up🌟
How hard would it be to go back home after 20 years of being away? Add in the fact that you left right after your best friend was murdered and your father died.... you had little to no contact with your mother after leaving home and now you are returning home after her death.... and on top of all this someone has now decided to make a documentary revolving around the murder of your best friend.....
Welcome to Sylvie‘s life!
This book was good, but I did have a few problems with it... The pacing was a little slow, and I‘m really not one to complain about this usually.... I really was not completely drawn into the story until probably about 60% and that’s about the point when I started caring about Sylvie....
Sylvie was hard to get a handle on... I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to like her or not and in the beginning this just lead to complete indifference for me.... but then something happened and I began to like her or at least understand her.... Victoria on the other hand( the best friend who was murdered) was not very likable from the flashback scenes.... so really at some point I didn’t care who murdered her to be completely honest.....
The end was satisfying if not a little predictable.... I really did want the very best for Sylvie and her baby.... Best of all the very end of this book was much appreciated!
*** thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ***
How hard would it be to go back home after 20 years of being away? Add in the fact that you left right after your best friend was murdered and your father died.... you had little to no contact with your mother after leaving home and now you are returning home after her death.... and on top of all this someone has now decided to make a documentary revolving around the murder of your best friend.....
Welcome to Sylvie‘s life!
This book was good, but I did have a few problems with it... The pacing was a little slow, and I‘m really not one to complain about this usually.... I really was not completely drawn into the story until probably about 60% and that’s about the point when I started caring about Sylvie....
Sylvie was hard to get a handle on... I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to like her or not and in the beginning this just lead to complete indifference for me.... but then something happened and I began to like her or at least understand her.... Victoria on the other hand( the best friend who was murdered) was not very likable from the flashback scenes.... so really at some point I didn’t care who murdered her to be completely honest.....
The end was satisfying if not a little predictable.... I really did want the very best for Sylvie and her baby.... Best of all the very end of this book was much appreciated!
*** thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ***
December 3, 2017
EXCERPT: As I step back inside, I see it on the mat and acidic saliva forces itself up my throat.
Another brown envelope.
This time I don't wait. I rip the envelope straight open and shove my hand inside. It's cold, metal; a thin chain. When I pull it out and hold it up, the room feels as if it spins like a fun house. It's the gold chain with the heart shaped locket, the one they said Victoria was missing that night, that never turned up.
My fingers are shaking but I am eventually able to turn it over - the 'VP' engraving is there like I knew it would be.
Before I wasn't sure. Now I am certain. Someone knows what happened to Victoria that night and this is a message.
THE BLURB: Two girls. A murder. And a secret that binds them forever.
As a teenager, Sylvie Armstrong’s life was shattered when her best friend, Victoria Bland, was murdered. The killer has never been caught – and Sylvie has never spoken about what happened that day.
Now, two decades have gone by and after the death of her mother, Sylvie is forced to return to her home town, along with her newborn daughter – only to be confronted by the secrets that she has been running from for twenty years.
But then Sylvie receives the locket Victoria was wearing on the night she died – and it becomes clear that somebody knows what really happened to Victoria.
As Sylvie struggles to discover the truth behind the lies, she finds herself in increasing danger from those who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets. Someone who threatens not only Sylvie, but everything she loves...
MY THOUGHTS: 'Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't going away.'
Her Best Friend by Sarah Wray is deceptive. For around the first third of the book, I thought it was okay, but nothing really special. But what it actually is, is a cleverly crafted, slow burning read. Like one of those fireworks that appears to be fizzing, gives a couple of experimental spurts, then bursts into a beautiful technicolor display of pyrotechnics. The second third of the book had me reading avidly, and the final third? You couldn't have paid me to put the book down.
You may not like the characters, but they are well drawn and realistic. The story takes place over two timelines, now and twenty years previous. Sylvie, the pivotal character, is no more self assured now than she was then. She revolved in Victoria's orbit, followed her lead, was her acolyte.
Relationships between the characters are more complex than they first appear. I had several suspects in mind for the death of Victoria. I changed my mind several times throughout the read. I settled on two, but couldn't make my mind up which of them it was, and was wrong. Completely and utterly way off base. Which pleases me greatly.
4.5 sparkling stars for Her Best Friend by Sarah Wray which came to me in the form of a digital ARC from Bookouture via Netgalley, for which I thank them. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Another brown envelope.
This time I don't wait. I rip the envelope straight open and shove my hand inside. It's cold, metal; a thin chain. When I pull it out and hold it up, the room feels as if it spins like a fun house. It's the gold chain with the heart shaped locket, the one they said Victoria was missing that night, that never turned up.
My fingers are shaking but I am eventually able to turn it over - the 'VP' engraving is there like I knew it would be.
Before I wasn't sure. Now I am certain. Someone knows what happened to Victoria that night and this is a message.
THE BLURB: Two girls. A murder. And a secret that binds them forever.
As a teenager, Sylvie Armstrong’s life was shattered when her best friend, Victoria Bland, was murdered. The killer has never been caught – and Sylvie has never spoken about what happened that day.
Now, two decades have gone by and after the death of her mother, Sylvie is forced to return to her home town, along with her newborn daughter – only to be confronted by the secrets that she has been running from for twenty years.
But then Sylvie receives the locket Victoria was wearing on the night she died – and it becomes clear that somebody knows what really happened to Victoria.
As Sylvie struggles to discover the truth behind the lies, she finds herself in increasing danger from those who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets. Someone who threatens not only Sylvie, but everything she loves...
MY THOUGHTS: 'Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't going away.'
Her Best Friend by Sarah Wray is deceptive. For around the first third of the book, I thought it was okay, but nothing really special. But what it actually is, is a cleverly crafted, slow burning read. Like one of those fireworks that appears to be fizzing, gives a couple of experimental spurts, then bursts into a beautiful technicolor display of pyrotechnics. The second third of the book had me reading avidly, and the final third? You couldn't have paid me to put the book down.
You may not like the characters, but they are well drawn and realistic. The story takes place over two timelines, now and twenty years previous. Sylvie, the pivotal character, is no more self assured now than she was then. She revolved in Victoria's orbit, followed her lead, was her acolyte.
Relationships between the characters are more complex than they first appear. I had several suspects in mind for the death of Victoria. I changed my mind several times throughout the read. I settled on two, but couldn't make my mind up which of them it was, and was wrong. Completely and utterly way off base. Which pleases me greatly.
4.5 sparkling stars for Her Best Friend by Sarah Wray which came to me in the form of a digital ARC from Bookouture via Netgalley, for which I thank them. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
November 16, 2017
When Sylvie Armstrong was a teenager her best friend, Victoria Bland, was found murdered and things have not been the same for Sylvie since that day. After Victoria's body was found and her funeral took place Sylvie's parents sent Sylvie away to school thinking that it would be too hard on their daughter. Shortly after Sylvie's father also died and Sylvie relationship with her mother became non-existent leaving her to not return to her hometown.
Now, twenty years after Victoria's death Sylvie finds herself returning to her childhood home after her mother's passing when her home is left to Sylvie in the will. Returning with her baby Sylvie finds all those memories of her best friend returning to the surface and now with the killer never being found there is a reporter looking into the long buried secrets of the past.
Her Best Friend by Sarah Wray to me was an extremely slow build mystery/thriller read. While I'd like to say I loved this one the pacing really had it a struggle to become engaged as it slowly unfolded. There was a decent story within the pages but not one that truly gripped me to rate this one any higher.
I think also that for myself with as many books that I read this one was also a tad predictable. It seemed to lack the twists and red herrings that I normally love and in my mind seemed to be taking me on a journey to a certain outcome which in the end was pretty spot on. So while the writing is nice enough and the story will be one that engages a lot of readers in the end this one turned out to just be one of those OK reads in my opinion.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Now, twenty years after Victoria's death Sylvie finds herself returning to her childhood home after her mother's passing when her home is left to Sylvie in the will. Returning with her baby Sylvie finds all those memories of her best friend returning to the surface and now with the killer never being found there is a reporter looking into the long buried secrets of the past.
Her Best Friend by Sarah Wray to me was an extremely slow build mystery/thriller read. While I'd like to say I loved this one the pacing really had it a struggle to become engaged as it slowly unfolded. There was a decent story within the pages but not one that truly gripped me to rate this one any higher.
I think also that for myself with as many books that I read this one was also a tad predictable. It seemed to lack the twists and red herrings that I normally love and in my mind seemed to be taking me on a journey to a certain outcome which in the end was pretty spot on. So while the writing is nice enough and the story will be one that engages a lot of readers in the end this one turned out to just be one of those OK reads in my opinion.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
November 16, 2017
Having not previously read any books by author Sarah Wray, I was drawn to this book by the description which left me wanting to know more. I found this book an excellent read and fully intend to read more of this author in the future.
Two 15 year old girls Sylvie and Victoria were the very best of friends but when Victoria was murdered the killer was never found. Sylvie went to live at her aunt’s and never returned to her parents house. Now 20 years later she has returned following the death of her mother and to the secrets she has hidden from surrounding Victoria”s death.
As Sylvie struggles to discover the truth she finds herself in increasing danger from those who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Two 15 year old girls Sylvie and Victoria were the very best of friends but when Victoria was murdered the killer was never found. Sylvie went to live at her aunt’s and never returned to her parents house. Now 20 years later she has returned following the death of her mother and to the secrets she has hidden from surrounding Victoria”s death.
As Sylvie struggles to discover the truth she finds herself in increasing danger from those who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2017
When Sylvie Armstrong was a teenager her life was shattered when her best friend, Victoria Bland, was murdered. The killer was never caught and Sylvie has never spoken about what happened. Twenty years have passed and Sylvie has to return to her hometown after the death of her mother. Sylvie receives the locket Victoria was wearing on the night she died - somebody knows what really happened to Victoria the night she died.
The pace of this book is really slow. It seemed to take an age for the story to unfold. The main characters i did not like at all. There was not very much suspense but there was something that made me want to keep turning the pages. Whether it was to see if my predictions were right (which they were), I'm not sure as this is not a bad read it's just not a great read. I'm sure there will be lots of readers who will really enjoy this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Sarah Wray for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The pace of this book is really slow. It seemed to take an age for the story to unfold. The main characters i did not like at all. There was not very much suspense but there was something that made me want to keep turning the pages. Whether it was to see if my predictions were right (which they were), I'm not sure as this is not a bad read it's just not a great read. I'm sure there will be lots of readers who will really enjoy this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Sarah Wray for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2017
HER BEST FRIEND by Sarah Wray is a mystery/suspense thriller novel, that will appeal to a wide range of readers. This is the first book that I have read by this author, and I intend to read more.
Two teenagers-Sylvie and Victoria were best friends that spent all their time together sharing secrets, until Victoria was murdered. The killer has never been caught – and Sylvie has never spoken about what happened that day.
Sylvie escaped and went to live with her aunt, and never returned to her parent’s house, until 20 years later, after the death of her mother, Sylvie is forced to return to her home town, along with her newborn daughter. Now she must confront her past and the secrets, that she tried to put at bay.
But then Sylvie receives the locket Victoria was wearing on the night she died – and it becomes clear that somebody knows what really happened to Victoria.
Sylvie struggles to discover the truth behind the lies, she finds herself in increasing danger from those who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets.
The story is told in the third person point of view, with alternating chapters of Sylvie “Now” and Sylvie as a “teenager”, which makes it very easy to read and enjoy. Even though this isn't a fast- paced story, the tension continues to build in the latter half of the book.
Many thanks to Bookouture via Net Galley for my copy.
Two teenagers-Sylvie and Victoria were best friends that spent all their time together sharing secrets, until Victoria was murdered. The killer has never been caught – and Sylvie has never spoken about what happened that day.
Sylvie escaped and went to live with her aunt, and never returned to her parent’s house, until 20 years later, after the death of her mother, Sylvie is forced to return to her home town, along with her newborn daughter. Now she must confront her past and the secrets, that she tried to put at bay.
But then Sylvie receives the locket Victoria was wearing on the night she died – and it becomes clear that somebody knows what really happened to Victoria.
Sylvie struggles to discover the truth behind the lies, she finds herself in increasing danger from those who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets.
The story is told in the third person point of view, with alternating chapters of Sylvie “Now” and Sylvie as a “teenager”, which makes it very easy to read and enjoy. Even though this isn't a fast- paced story, the tension continues to build in the latter half of the book.
Many thanks to Bookouture via Net Galley for my copy.
November 28, 2017
Her best friend died when they were 15. Sylvie returns to her childhood home when her mother passes away. A podcast is digging into the story.. will the truth finally come out?
This is a great book.. jumping between current day and 1995 telling the story of 2 best friends. I read this in one day... it really sucked me in. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book to read and review
This is a great book.. jumping between current day and 1995 telling the story of 2 best friends. I read this in one day... it really sucked me in. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book to read and review
November 7, 2017
Sylvie and Victoria were the very best of friends when they were 15 years old. But Victoria was murdered that year and the killer never found. Sylvie left her parents' house and went to live with an aunt. She never went back ... until now.
Twenty years later, Sylvie has returned home ... and to the secrets she's been running from since her friend died. A necklace, once worn by her friend, is mailed to Sylvie. Someone knows exactly what happened that night. There are some who will keep their secrets ... will she be one of them? Or will she be a victim?
This is one of those books that grabbed me from the very first and didn't let go. Told in chapters of Sylvie today and Sylvie when she was a teenager, and a cleverly written 'witness' in the form of a TV program.. think Unsolved Mysteries.
I think the author did a fine job in fully defining characters... especially when both girls were teenagers. I was one once and I lived through two teenagers of my own, so I didn't have to overuse my imagination when the girls did the things they did. The introduction of secondary characters ... Victoria's parents, Sylvie's mother's neighbors, the girl they knew in school that they weren't very nice to. The TV program introduced several others that knew the girls from their childhood.
The story is very cleverly written and quite easy to follow. There were some twists and turns along the way with a surprise ending.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the advance digital copy of this Psychological Thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Twenty years later, Sylvie has returned home ... and to the secrets she's been running from since her friend died. A necklace, once worn by her friend, is mailed to Sylvie. Someone knows exactly what happened that night. There are some who will keep their secrets ... will she be one of them? Or will she be a victim?
This is one of those books that grabbed me from the very first and didn't let go. Told in chapters of Sylvie today and Sylvie when she was a teenager, and a cleverly written 'witness' in the form of a TV program.. think Unsolved Mysteries.
I think the author did a fine job in fully defining characters... especially when both girls were teenagers. I was one once and I lived through two teenagers of my own, so I didn't have to overuse my imagination when the girls did the things they did. The introduction of secondary characters ... Victoria's parents, Sylvie's mother's neighbors, the girl they knew in school that they weren't very nice to. The TV program introduced several others that knew the girls from their childhood.
The story is very cleverly written and quite easy to follow. There were some twists and turns along the way with a surprise ending.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the advance digital copy of this Psychological Thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
December 1, 2017
This was a semi-decent read. Nothing that will blow your socks off but a good way to spend the afternoon with. We meet Sylvie, who when she was 15, her best friend was murdered. After Sylvie’s mom passes away, she goes back to her hometown of Conley and where the murder is getting back in the news. A podcast has reopened the case of Victoria and Sylvie wants nothing to do with it. You kind of get the feeling that Sylvie can’t be trusted as a character. Which is to throw us, as readers, off. Unfortunately, this thriller didn’t have the twists and turns I like but I did enjoy the ending. That was well done. An ok read for me but not great and most importantly, not horrible either.
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 13, 2017
Having read and reviewed Sarah Wray’s debut novel, I was hesitant to read this book. But I requested for this based purely on the blurb which said two best friends, Victoria and Sylvie, one dies and the other moves far away for twenty years till she comes back, a journalist trying to find the truth and make a documentary twenty years hence.
I did start the book with great trepidation and I was pleasantly surprised. The book does rather stand as a mystery suspense novel. The author, Sarah Wray, has done a far better job of writing this book as compared to her debut. Throughout the story, Sarah made my head pop with questions, they appeared like blinking light bulbs in my mind, as I turned the pages.
Why was Victoria alone on the night the two girls were supposed to be together? Why didn’t the parents wait up for Victoria as they normally did? Who was Victoria’s boyfriend? Why do the parents pretend not knowing him even twenty years later? Why did Sylvie the best friend come back after twenty years? Why were Sylvie and her mother estranged? And the final question —What exactly did Sylvie know? Did she see the killer that night? Or did she kill Victoria?
As I read through the chapters, there was a lot of added information, new information which comes to light after twenty years, which is kind of surprising. Though the book has a journalist trying to find the truth, but it is ultimately someone else who really does force out the truth into the open.
Sarah Wray has well thought out the plot line, and she seemed focused in her writing this time round. The pace of the book is rather okay, sometimes fast, sometimes it does drag on. Her characters appear strong yet very flawed. But they are not whom I could root for. Victoria’s mother is the only one who appeared genuine, appear being the key word. She also knew things which she didn’t report to the police.
Sylvie, the main character is rather odd, she is a new mother with sleep deprived issues, there is another girl on the sidelines, Michelle who calls herself their friend but is never really acknowledged. She appeared like a stalker in the book.
Inspite of all these niggles, the book does work for a simple reason that once the brain is latched on to the question—who killed Victoria—it does not make sense to leave the book halfway. The fingers turn the pages automatically. I do not think any reader would be able to stop reading this book till the truth is revealed.
P. S. Reading the last chapter directly does not help as the truth is unveiled somewhere in the last few chapters
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
I did start the book with great trepidation and I was pleasantly surprised. The book does rather stand as a mystery suspense novel. The author, Sarah Wray, has done a far better job of writing this book as compared to her debut. Throughout the story, Sarah made my head pop with questions, they appeared like blinking light bulbs in my mind, as I turned the pages.
Why was Victoria alone on the night the two girls were supposed to be together? Why didn’t the parents wait up for Victoria as they normally did? Who was Victoria’s boyfriend? Why do the parents pretend not knowing him even twenty years later? Why did Sylvie the best friend come back after twenty years? Why were Sylvie and her mother estranged? And the final question —What exactly did Sylvie know? Did she see the killer that night? Or did she kill Victoria?
As I read through the chapters, there was a lot of added information, new information which comes to light after twenty years, which is kind of surprising. Though the book has a journalist trying to find the truth, but it is ultimately someone else who really does force out the truth into the open.
Sarah Wray has well thought out the plot line, and she seemed focused in her writing this time round. The pace of the book is rather okay, sometimes fast, sometimes it does drag on. Her characters appear strong yet very flawed. But they are not whom I could root for. Victoria’s mother is the only one who appeared genuine, appear being the key word. She also knew things which she didn’t report to the police.
Sylvie, the main character is rather odd, she is a new mother with sleep deprived issues, there is another girl on the sidelines, Michelle who calls herself their friend but is never really acknowledged. She appeared like a stalker in the book.
Inspite of all these niggles, the book does work for a simple reason that once the brain is latched on to the question—who killed Victoria—it does not make sense to leave the book halfway. The fingers turn the pages automatically. I do not think any reader would be able to stop reading this book till the truth is revealed.
P. S. Reading the last chapter directly does not help as the truth is unveiled somewhere in the last few chapters
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
November 28, 2017
Prepare to start reading, only to look up hours later and wonder where your afternoon has gone. This is one gripping and utterly unputdownable psychological thriller!
Twenty years ago, Sylvie’s best friend Victoria was found murdered in a lake. Shortly after that, Sylvie moved away and hasn’t been back since. Until now. At the same time, Sam is interested in making a documentary about Victoria’s murder, which is still unsolved. Sylvie will be forced to face the memories of that faithful summer in 1995. Will Victoria’s murder finally be solved?
Halfway through the book, I had to stop reading due to this pesky thing called sleep. But even while in bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about it as I tried to piece together what had happened. There were a few bits and bobs I figured out quite early on but I suspect that’s because a) I have a suspicious nature and b) I read too much. Be that as it may, it didn’t ruin the story for me at all and the ultimate reveal knocked me for six!
I thoroughly enjoyed the way the author tackled this story. The chapters switch back and forth between Sylvie in the present and the past but there are also chapters from Sam’s point of view. So not only do we gain insight into Sylvie and Victoria’s friendship back in the day but we also have an opportunity to follow Sam as he interviews various people for his documentary. It made me see connections where there weren’t any, making me change my mind about who I thought the culprit was, only to ultimately reverse back to my original thought and still get it wrong.
Her Best Friend is a truly compelling and engrossing read. It’s well-paced throughout, has some brilliant twists and turns, a fabulous cast of characters and builds up to quite the shocking ending. You will not be able to put this one down as it’s one fantastic page-turner!
Twenty years ago, Sylvie’s best friend Victoria was found murdered in a lake. Shortly after that, Sylvie moved away and hasn’t been back since. Until now. At the same time, Sam is interested in making a documentary about Victoria’s murder, which is still unsolved. Sylvie will be forced to face the memories of that faithful summer in 1995. Will Victoria’s murder finally be solved?
Halfway through the book, I had to stop reading due to this pesky thing called sleep. But even while in bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about it as I tried to piece together what had happened. There were a few bits and bobs I figured out quite early on but I suspect that’s because a) I have a suspicious nature and b) I read too much. Be that as it may, it didn’t ruin the story for me at all and the ultimate reveal knocked me for six!
I thoroughly enjoyed the way the author tackled this story. The chapters switch back and forth between Sylvie in the present and the past but there are also chapters from Sam’s point of view. So not only do we gain insight into Sylvie and Victoria’s friendship back in the day but we also have an opportunity to follow Sam as he interviews various people for his documentary. It made me see connections where there weren’t any, making me change my mind about who I thought the culprit was, only to ultimately reverse back to my original thought and still get it wrong.
Her Best Friend is a truly compelling and engrossing read. It’s well-paced throughout, has some brilliant twists and turns, a fabulous cast of characters and builds up to quite the shocking ending. You will not be able to put this one down as it’s one fantastic page-turner!
November 28, 2017
Sylvie Armstrong returns to Conley, her childhood town, with her daughter Victoria after her mother passing away. To sort out the house ready to sell. She left twenty years previously, after the murder of her best friend Victoria, to go and live with her aunty. Feelings are still raw in the town as they never found out who killed Victoria and Sylvie coming back stirs feelings for someone of the residents of Conley.
The story is mostly written in Sylvie’s point of view. It goes back twenty years and tells us of the relationship she had Victoria. The nights out, the drinking, the laughs they used to have and relationships they used to have with other people in the same age in the town, like Michelle that used to hang around with them, but not part of the group. Also the night of Victoria’s death, why was she all on her own if she was that popular and who was she seeing that night?
The story also tells of present day. Sylvie is a nervous character, after leaving Nathan to come to Conley. She meets Victoria parents after all this time. But we also learn of Sam who is making a documentary of what happened to Victoria twenty years ago and he doesn’t leave any stone unturned to find the truth.
My favourite genre is psychological thrillers and I really enjoyed this. This book was well written and it gripped me in parts. But, I didn’t like any of the characters and so I couldn’t relate to them as I normally would.
Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley for and ARC of this book.
The story is mostly written in Sylvie’s point of view. It goes back twenty years and tells us of the relationship she had Victoria. The nights out, the drinking, the laughs they used to have and relationships they used to have with other people in the same age in the town, like Michelle that used to hang around with them, but not part of the group. Also the night of Victoria’s death, why was she all on her own if she was that popular and who was she seeing that night?
The story also tells of present day. Sylvie is a nervous character, after leaving Nathan to come to Conley. She meets Victoria parents after all this time. But we also learn of Sam who is making a documentary of what happened to Victoria twenty years ago and he doesn’t leave any stone unturned to find the truth.
My favourite genre is psychological thrillers and I really enjoyed this. This book was well written and it gripped me in parts. But, I didn’t like any of the characters and so I couldn’t relate to them as I normally would.
Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley for and ARC of this book.
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November 8, 2017Sylvie Armstrong (and her baby) returns to Conley - a medium-sized town in Yorkshire, close to Leeds -- after having left shortly after her best friend, Victoria Bland, was murdered when they were 15 years old. Sylvie's mother has recently died and Sylvie needs to get the house for sale. Her return brings back a lot of feelings about her best friend. No one has ever been charged in Victoria's murder.
Twenty years is a long time...hence the interest of Karen Price on "Someone Must Know" for TrueCrime.com. It's hoped that the podcast episodes will jar memories and new details will come to light -- and find out what really happened the night that Victoria Bland ended up in the lake.
This is an interesting mystery told in first person POV thru Sylvie both in 1995, when the murder happened, and present day. The podcasts are also scripted to give yet another layer to the narrative. As Sylvie cares for her daughter and starts the clean up at her mother's house, she also comes back into contact with other people she knew when growing up in Conley. The ancillary characters are a mixed bag and include an old high school friend who Victoria and Sylvie weren't very nice to, and some nosy neighbors. Victoria's parents even come around. It seems that most everyone is listening to the podcasts. Will the truth come out?
The thing is, something seems a little "off" about Sylvie. She's easily spooked and there are only vague hints about why she has left her husband and brought her baby to Conley. I'm a longtime reader of this genre, naturally very curious/suspicious -- and can usually catch on fairly quickly to where a story is going, but NO SPOILERS. There are some tense scenes and some big questions with a nice wrap-up at the end. I enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
Twenty years is a long time...hence the interest of Karen Price on "Someone Must Know" for TrueCrime.com. It's hoped that the podcast episodes will jar memories and new details will come to light -- and find out what really happened the night that Victoria Bland ended up in the lake.
This is an interesting mystery told in first person POV thru Sylvie both in 1995, when the murder happened, and present day. The podcasts are also scripted to give yet another layer to the narrative. As Sylvie cares for her daughter and starts the clean up at her mother's house, she also comes back into contact with other people she knew when growing up in Conley. The ancillary characters are a mixed bag and include an old high school friend who Victoria and Sylvie weren't very nice to, and some nosy neighbors. Victoria's parents even come around. It seems that most everyone is listening to the podcasts. Will the truth come out?
The thing is, something seems a little "off" about Sylvie. She's easily spooked and there are only vague hints about why she has left her husband and brought her baby to Conley. I'm a longtime reader of this genre, naturally very curious/suspicious -- and can usually catch on fairly quickly to where a story is going, but NO SPOILERS. There are some tense scenes and some big questions with a nice wrap-up at the end. I enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.
November 28, 2017
Although this isn't a fast paced story it is a gripping,intreguing thriller.The story is mainly told by Sylvie in the third person point of view.There is also chapters that cover a podcast series by journalist Karen Price who is conducting her own investigation into Victoria`s death.At times the story also slips back in time to 1995,these parts cover events leading up to the night that Victoria died.We learn about the girls lives,the people around them and the specifics of their friendship.Sylvie like many of the characters in this book was a multi layered,complex,well developed character,some of them were likeable,some not so.I especially liked Michelle,she reminded me so much of myself when I was a teenager.
Like the wrapping paper on a pass the parcel game the layers are gradually removed until the truth of what happened on that hot summer night is revealed during a final shocking confrontation.I admit I did work out that one character wasn't all they appeared to be but the truth about Victoria`s death was totally unexpected.This is second book by this author that I have read and enjoyed this year and look forward to reading more of her books in the future.Highly recommended by little old me.
Many thanks to Bookouture for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
Like the wrapping paper on a pass the parcel game the layers are gradually removed until the truth of what happened on that hot summer night is revealed during a final shocking confrontation.I admit I did work out that one character wasn't all they appeared to be but the truth about Victoria`s death was totally unexpected.This is second book by this author that I have read and enjoyed this year and look forward to reading more of her books in the future.Highly recommended by little old me.
Many thanks to Bookouture for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
December 1, 2017
Sylvie is dragged back to her childhood home after her estranged mother dies leaving her the family home. Little does Sylvie know that the murder of her best friend Victoria 10 years previous is subject to a documentary in the making. Old wounds are being reopened but will Victoria’s murder finally be solved?
The story packed with suspense jumps between the present day and 1995 when Victoria disappeared. The long chapters drip fed me tit bits of clues of what happened that fateful night right to the end that gave me goosebumps! It possibly didn’t help I was sat against a cold window in November but I think I’d have felt them snuggled up in my bed with the electric blanket on full!!
Despite this book being packed with tension, it’s a dark slow burner. Don’t expect to hit the ground running or to feel like you have been on a rollercoaster but I think that is the beauty of Sarah Wray’s writing. Both in this novel and her debut “Reported Missing” you are taken on a journey but you don’t have the map and the path isn’t lit. You don’t see what’s coming round that next dark corner.
Many thanks to Bookouture for my ecopy of Her Best Friend.
The story packed with suspense jumps between the present day and 1995 when Victoria disappeared. The long chapters drip fed me tit bits of clues of what happened that fateful night right to the end that gave me goosebumps! It possibly didn’t help I was sat against a cold window in November but I think I’d have felt them snuggled up in my bed with the electric blanket on full!!
Despite this book being packed with tension, it’s a dark slow burner. Don’t expect to hit the ground running or to feel like you have been on a rollercoaster but I think that is the beauty of Sarah Wray’s writing. Both in this novel and her debut “Reported Missing” you are taken on a journey but you don’t have the map and the path isn’t lit. You don’t see what’s coming round that next dark corner.
Many thanks to Bookouture for my ecopy of Her Best Friend.
January 19, 2018
Sylvia and Victoria were best friends. When they were teenagers, Victoria was killed, and Sylvia's life was changed. Now it's 20 years later, and Sylvia returns to her home town after her mother's death. Sylvia had hoped to never return, and is now confronted with secrets from the past. Things are only complicated when a man, Sam, shows up in town to film a documentary about Victoria's death in hopes of finally solving the case.
The story was told in the third person point of view, with alternating chapters of the past and the present. Sylvia was the main character, but Sam had a few chapters devoted to his story.
This was well written, and the town and characters all seemed cold and dreary. It was a slow paced book, and not a lot happened. While it wasn't one that I wanted to read in one sitting, I was curious as to what had really happened to Victoria.
I received a copy of this book from Bookouture and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story was told in the third person point of view, with alternating chapters of the past and the present. Sylvia was the main character, but Sam had a few chapters devoted to his story.
This was well written, and the town and characters all seemed cold and dreary. It was a slow paced book, and not a lot happened. While it wasn't one that I wanted to read in one sitting, I was curious as to what had really happened to Victoria.
I received a copy of this book from Bookouture and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2018
I found this book quite slow paced and the build up long and slow that it actually took me a while to read it. That being said, I'm sure this is a story that a lot of other people will really enjoy. For me, there just wasn't enough twists or suspense to grip me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.
November 6, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. The protagonist was holding a secret from years gone bye. Will you find out the secret before completing the book? Read it and find out! I love a good mystery and this one hit the spot. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookature for a digital copy in return for an honest opinion.
November 29, 2017
Prepare to have your jaw hit the floor with Sarah Wray’s book, Her Best Friend!
Sylvie heads home (if that’s what she can call it) after leaving 20 years ago. So much hurt and bad memories surround her home village and you can tell that these memories have scared her for life. Facing it alone and head on I was worried that she would fall apart over the pages but she shocked me. Reliving those memories showed me an inside peek into her teenage years and what led to the death of her best friend, Victoria.
Having ‘met’ Victoria I took an instant dislike to her, especially her attitude to poor Michelle who only wanted someone to latch on to, even though she gave me the stalker vibe I kind of liked her. I felt like Victoria had this ‘everyone owes me’ attitude, even sometimes with Sylvie. I really feel for Sylvie in this book, she’s never really let go of the past and to be honest who can blame her?!
Now I’m usually one for fast paced books where all the action explodes from the get go but this book takes its time, setting scenes, introducing characters and adding detail and at times this annoyed me but I understand why Sarah did it this way, before I knew it I was sucked into the story and eager for the story to unfold….. which it does with a bang! That ending…. seriously?!! May jaw still hurts…. as I sat there chanting no….nooo…..nooooo…..really! I turned back a few pages to make sure I hadn’t misread what I had just read! Did I guess whodunit, yes and no, but it was still a GASP reaction all the same.
All in all this was an enjoyable read, I wouldn’t say I consumed the book in one sitting but when it was put down i felt like the book was still with me, my mind ticking over about what I had just read and had me rethinking what I felt about certain people in the book.
A massive thanks to Bookouture, Netgalley and Victoria Jenkins for my advanced review copy. Also thanks to Noelle for letting me join yet another fab book tour!
Sylvie heads home (if that’s what she can call it) after leaving 20 years ago. So much hurt and bad memories surround her home village and you can tell that these memories have scared her for life. Facing it alone and head on I was worried that she would fall apart over the pages but she shocked me. Reliving those memories showed me an inside peek into her teenage years and what led to the death of her best friend, Victoria.
Having ‘met’ Victoria I took an instant dislike to her, especially her attitude to poor Michelle who only wanted someone to latch on to, even though she gave me the stalker vibe I kind of liked her. I felt like Victoria had this ‘everyone owes me’ attitude, even sometimes with Sylvie. I really feel for Sylvie in this book, she’s never really let go of the past and to be honest who can blame her?!
Now I’m usually one for fast paced books where all the action explodes from the get go but this book takes its time, setting scenes, introducing characters and adding detail and at times this annoyed me but I understand why Sarah did it this way, before I knew it I was sucked into the story and eager for the story to unfold….. which it does with a bang! That ending…. seriously?!! May jaw still hurts…. as I sat there chanting no….nooo…..nooooo…..really! I turned back a few pages to make sure I hadn’t misread what I had just read! Did I guess whodunit, yes and no, but it was still a GASP reaction all the same.
All in all this was an enjoyable read, I wouldn’t say I consumed the book in one sitting but when it was put down i felt like the book was still with me, my mind ticking over about what I had just read and had me rethinking what I felt about certain people in the book.
A massive thanks to Bookouture, Netgalley and Victoria Jenkins for my advanced review copy. Also thanks to Noelle for letting me join yet another fab book tour!
November 28, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of the eARC in exchange for a fair review.
Sylvie moved away not long after her best friend was found in the lake and her father died, but now her mother has died and she has to come home to sort things. Soon after she sees Judith, Victoria's mother and she is shocked to find out that Sylvie has had a baby and named her Victoria. Judith mentions that she is working with Sam to find out what happened to Victoria.
Soon Sylvie finds things spiraling out of control, and she feels like she is losing it. Her husband doesn't know where she is. She has run into another old mate Michelle, and is dodging Sam about the documentary. Sam is working to find out what happened to Victoria and soon finds out that she was walking alone that night. Plus she was supposed to meet up with her boyfriend.
As he digs deeper, Sylvie tries harder to avoid the past, and stop her fall into madness. She finally decides that she needs to head home, and answers Nathan's calls, but before she can get on the train. Victoria disappears, will Sylvie be able to find her before it is too late? Will the truth finally be revealed?
So much I want to say. Sylvie and Victoria were best friends, Victoria disappears one night and is found in the following days in the lake. No one has ever been able to find out who murdered Victoria and why. I devoured this book, but I will say I was little underwhelmed by the ending. Mostly the who done it, and how that played out. However, the cliffhanger drew me back in. Well it isn't quite a cliffhanger, you can mostly guess how that would all play out.
It was odd though, I found myself rooting for the wrong person even after everything was revealed. I just felt bad for that person. I was quite a bit happier with the ending though. That was what I wanted once the truth came out.
Sylvie moved away not long after her best friend was found in the lake and her father died, but now her mother has died and she has to come home to sort things. Soon after she sees Judith, Victoria's mother and she is shocked to find out that Sylvie has had a baby and named her Victoria. Judith mentions that she is working with Sam to find out what happened to Victoria.
Soon Sylvie finds things spiraling out of control, and she feels like she is losing it. Her husband doesn't know where she is. She has run into another old mate Michelle, and is dodging Sam about the documentary. Sam is working to find out what happened to Victoria and soon finds out that she was walking alone that night. Plus she was supposed to meet up with her boyfriend.
As he digs deeper, Sylvie tries harder to avoid the past, and stop her fall into madness. She finally decides that she needs to head home, and answers Nathan's calls, but before she can get on the train. Victoria disappears, will Sylvie be able to find her before it is too late? Will the truth finally be revealed?
So much I want to say. Sylvie and Victoria were best friends, Victoria disappears one night and is found in the following days in the lake. No one has ever been able to find out who murdered Victoria and why. I devoured this book, but I will say I was little underwhelmed by the ending. Mostly the who done it, and how that played out. However, the cliffhanger drew me back in. Well it isn't quite a cliffhanger, you can mostly guess how that would all play out.
It was odd though, I found myself rooting for the wrong person even after everything was revealed. I just felt bad for that person. I was quite a bit happier with the ending though. That was what I wanted once the truth came out.
February 4, 2018
Review to follow as part of the blog tour
December 15, 2017
This what I would call a suffocating read. Sylvie returns to her childhood home after her mother’s death to sort the house and escape a difficult situation back at home. She’s with her baby daughter who she has named Victoria after her best friend who died under mysterious circumstances when they were teenagers. Sylvie’s arrival seems to bring this terrible event back to the forefront of everybody’s mind and someone seems intent on tormenting Sylvie.
This book was oppressive and hard to read at times as I felt suffocated by the mystery of what happened to Victoria and who was ‘after’ Sylvie. All the characters were obsessed with Victoria and wanted to know what had happened to her. The setting in this book was fantastic and the small town mentally jumped off the page. I liked how the facts and speculation were used to cloud what really happened. The couch detectives were a fantastic addition to the book and added a lot of realism and depth to the story. Everyone likes to think they know what happened and who done it. So, you had these people who use things like this as entertainment juxtaposed with Sylvie who has been dealing with the real life ramifications of this trauma for most of her life.
It is hard to review this book without giving too much away. All I want to stress is this a fantastic read that will have you whizzing through the pages to a shocking ending. I loved the twist in this book and the ending is satisfying and brilliant. I look forward to more from this author.
This book was oppressive and hard to read at times as I felt suffocated by the mystery of what happened to Victoria and who was ‘after’ Sylvie. All the characters were obsessed with Victoria and wanted to know what had happened to her. The setting in this book was fantastic and the small town mentally jumped off the page. I liked how the facts and speculation were used to cloud what really happened. The couch detectives were a fantastic addition to the book and added a lot of realism and depth to the story. Everyone likes to think they know what happened and who done it. So, you had these people who use things like this as entertainment juxtaposed with Sylvie who has been dealing with the real life ramifications of this trauma for most of her life.
It is hard to review this book without giving too much away. All I want to stress is this a fantastic read that will have you whizzing through the pages to a shocking ending. I loved the twist in this book and the ending is satisfying and brilliant. I look forward to more from this author.
November 10, 2017
I enjoyed this book, it ticked all the boxes for a good mystery thriller in which i enjoy. It did lack in character likeness for me, I didn't really warm to any of them.
The story is told from the character, Sylvie's, point of view, in the now and the past. At 15 Victoria is murdered and this still haunts Sylvie today. She moves back to the little town it happened now with her own child after the news of her mothers death. Secrets and lies are uncovered on her return.
The plot is clever and keeps the reader engaged with the story. Some parts are narrated by Karen who is a journalist, who through her show likes to help solve unsolved mysteries.
The story is told from the character, Sylvie's, point of view, in the now and the past. At 15 Victoria is murdered and this still haunts Sylvie today. She moves back to the little town it happened now with her own child after the news of her mothers death. Secrets and lies are uncovered on her return.
The plot is clever and keeps the reader engaged with the story. Some parts are narrated by Karen who is a journalist, who through her show likes to help solve unsolved mysteries.
November 30, 2017
Gawd you could have blew me down with a feather, an intense thrill ride, produced from a slow burn, a purely explosive psychological thriller, sometimes a secret can’t stay hidden, can you uncover the secret before Sarah Wray calls time on Her Best Friend.
I was captivated by the whole premise of the plotline, but I can say I was a little nervous to begin with wondering can I really get my teeth in this book, but once I started turning the pages, I had nothing to fear but the end itself.
Well where to begin, Sylvie Armstrong has been in hiding, trying to escape her past, her best friend was murdered twenty years previously, now Sylvie has to return home, confront her past, the secrets and settle her mothers estate. Terror grips Sylvie when a locket Victoria wore on the night she died appears as a gift on her doorstep, who knows what happened, the secrets unravel as the truth becomes known.
Her Best friend fluctuates back and forth between 1995 when Victoria died and the present day, the insight into the friendship between Sylvie and Victoria helps set the scene but also starts to reveal the lies which hampered the original investigation. Following through to present day, Sam a journalist, uses his podcast to document the investigation, he interviewed various people uncovering more lies, it drove me batty thinking I knew who was the killer, only for my theory to blown out of the water.
I’m not completely sure if I connected with any of the characters but even so it didn’t do any damage to the plotline for me. They were all in my opinion unreliable, I mistrusted all of them, I never felt any of the characters were able speak the truth. The characters were carefully thought out and planned fitting well with the book but I didn’t really want to side with any of them, I think that’s part of the reason I was unsure about them. Overall the characterisation was spot on but not what I anticipated.
I thoroughly enjoyed Her Best Friend, the thrill of the ride, the slow building pace, creeping up to the rollercoaster high and throwing you deep into the secrets hoping to unravel the lies and find the killer. Wow what a psychological thriller!
Thank you to Bookouture and Noelle for allowing me the opportunity to be part of the Blog Blitz for Her Best Friend, thanks also to Sarah Wray for an advanced readers copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
I was captivated by the whole premise of the plotline, but I can say I was a little nervous to begin with wondering can I really get my teeth in this book, but once I started turning the pages, I had nothing to fear but the end itself.
Well where to begin, Sylvie Armstrong has been in hiding, trying to escape her past, her best friend was murdered twenty years previously, now Sylvie has to return home, confront her past, the secrets and settle her mothers estate. Terror grips Sylvie when a locket Victoria wore on the night she died appears as a gift on her doorstep, who knows what happened, the secrets unravel as the truth becomes known.
Her Best friend fluctuates back and forth between 1995 when Victoria died and the present day, the insight into the friendship between Sylvie and Victoria helps set the scene but also starts to reveal the lies which hampered the original investigation. Following through to present day, Sam a journalist, uses his podcast to document the investigation, he interviewed various people uncovering more lies, it drove me batty thinking I knew who was the killer, only for my theory to blown out of the water.
I’m not completely sure if I connected with any of the characters but even so it didn’t do any damage to the plotline for me. They were all in my opinion unreliable, I mistrusted all of them, I never felt any of the characters were able speak the truth. The characters were carefully thought out and planned fitting well with the book but I didn’t really want to side with any of them, I think that’s part of the reason I was unsure about them. Overall the characterisation was spot on but not what I anticipated.
I thoroughly enjoyed Her Best Friend, the thrill of the ride, the slow building pace, creeping up to the rollercoaster high and throwing you deep into the secrets hoping to unravel the lies and find the killer. Wow what a psychological thriller!
Thank you to Bookouture and Noelle for allowing me the opportunity to be part of the Blog Blitz for Her Best Friend, thanks also to Sarah Wray for an advanced readers copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
November 28, 2019
*thank you to Netgalley, Sarah Wray and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
2.5 stars.
This was just OK. I thought the first half of this was good, about 3 stars. But by the second half I had lost interest in the story and the characters. There wasn't enough happening and I thought that there was too much storytelling of Sam's character. It ended up getting a bit boring but still not bad so I gave it 2 stars. Making the final result 2.5. I think if there were more surprises happening through them I would have liked this more. It wasn't poorly written so for that reason I would pass this book along to others to have their own say on it. I would also read another book by this author.
2.5 stars.
This was just OK. I thought the first half of this was good, about 3 stars. But by the second half I had lost interest in the story and the characters. There wasn't enough happening and I thought that there was too much storytelling of Sam's character. It ended up getting a bit boring but still not bad so I gave it 2 stars. Making the final result 2.5. I think if there were more surprises happening through them I would have liked this more. It wasn't poorly written so for that reason I would pass this book along to others to have their own say on it. I would also read another book by this author.
November 26, 2017
From the very beginning of the book I found myself completely intrigued as to what was happening. The remnants of a party, a young girl clearly distressed, a body found in the water. What had happened to lead us to this point in time? Who was the young girl who had been found and how did she end up in the water? Well in order to find the answers to those questions, I had to keep reading. And keep reading I did.
Sometimes emotional, often claustrophobic, there was an immediately oppressive atmosphere and tone about this novel, one which keeps you as a reader very much on the edge of your seat. Returning to her home town for the first time since that fateful day, Sylvie is very clear that she is only there to sort through her mother’s effects in readiness for the sale of the house. She is not remotely prepared for what she finds in her former home, or the emotional turmoil she will find herself in returning to a place which has such terrible memories for her.
It is through Sylvie’s eyes that we experience the lion’s share of the story as she navigates her new situation, young daughter in tow, and tries to reconcile her past and her future. With a few segments told from the perspective of journalist and filmmaker Sam, a man who is trying to make a documentary about the still unexplained death Victoria, Sylvie’s best friend from childhood, and certain segments which take us back to events leading up to Victoria’s death, this is a carefully crafted and very effective psychological thriller. You can feel the past creeping in, taking over, sensing the danger as it begins to infect the present.
There are so many twisted secrets, so many characters who are slightly off kilter, that it is hard to know which perspective to trust. Take Michelle for example. She forces her way back into the picture and there is something just a little … off … about her. And Victoria’s parents – one determined to draw Sylvie back in to the investigation, the other keeping her at bay. And while outwardly Sylvie seems to be as much a victim of the past as anyone else, there are aspects of her character which become clear as the story progresses, things which paint her in a less virtuous light. But was it all just teenage high jinx and did any of it have anything to do with what happened to Victoria.
Sarah Wray introduces so much doubt that it’s hard to know who or what to trust, and there are many characters who act in creeping and unnerving ways, ones who would make you doubt their motives for being back in Sylvie’s life. It all adds to the tension and you are left to wonder whether Sylvie is likely to meet the same fate as Victoria. There are definitely elements of the story which keep you on a knife-edge and it is clear that too many people are keeping secrets. How many relate to what happened all those years ago you will have to read to find out.
Despite all the misdirection, I did have a kind of gut instinct as to what may have happened, or at the very least what led to it. I wasn’t entirely correct, the author successfully and wisely holding back some vital information, and there are certain revelations which will take the reader by surprise towards the end. But I was still engrossed, still keen to find out the truth and to discover just who could possible have wanted to hurt Victoria.
The setting is dark and foreboding, and, as I said earlier, somewhat claustrophobic. From the confines of a house which has seen no love in many a year, to the small community in which is it almost impossible to be invisible, right through to the lake which ultimately claimed Victoria’s life, you can feel it all clinging to and consuming Sylvie. And the pacing of the book compliments this perfectly.
All in all a great psychological thriller which will keep you hooked from start to finish.
Sometimes emotional, often claustrophobic, there was an immediately oppressive atmosphere and tone about this novel, one which keeps you as a reader very much on the edge of your seat. Returning to her home town for the first time since that fateful day, Sylvie is very clear that she is only there to sort through her mother’s effects in readiness for the sale of the house. She is not remotely prepared for what she finds in her former home, or the emotional turmoil she will find herself in returning to a place which has such terrible memories for her.
It is through Sylvie’s eyes that we experience the lion’s share of the story as she navigates her new situation, young daughter in tow, and tries to reconcile her past and her future. With a few segments told from the perspective of journalist and filmmaker Sam, a man who is trying to make a documentary about the still unexplained death Victoria, Sylvie’s best friend from childhood, and certain segments which take us back to events leading up to Victoria’s death, this is a carefully crafted and very effective psychological thriller. You can feel the past creeping in, taking over, sensing the danger as it begins to infect the present.
There are so many twisted secrets, so many characters who are slightly off kilter, that it is hard to know which perspective to trust. Take Michelle for example. She forces her way back into the picture and there is something just a little … off … about her. And Victoria’s parents – one determined to draw Sylvie back in to the investigation, the other keeping her at bay. And while outwardly Sylvie seems to be as much a victim of the past as anyone else, there are aspects of her character which become clear as the story progresses, things which paint her in a less virtuous light. But was it all just teenage high jinx and did any of it have anything to do with what happened to Victoria.
Sarah Wray introduces so much doubt that it’s hard to know who or what to trust, and there are many characters who act in creeping and unnerving ways, ones who would make you doubt their motives for being back in Sylvie’s life. It all adds to the tension and you are left to wonder whether Sylvie is likely to meet the same fate as Victoria. There are definitely elements of the story which keep you on a knife-edge and it is clear that too many people are keeping secrets. How many relate to what happened all those years ago you will have to read to find out.
Despite all the misdirection, I did have a kind of gut instinct as to what may have happened, or at the very least what led to it. I wasn’t entirely correct, the author successfully and wisely holding back some vital information, and there are certain revelations which will take the reader by surprise towards the end. But I was still engrossed, still keen to find out the truth and to discover just who could possible have wanted to hurt Victoria.
The setting is dark and foreboding, and, as I said earlier, somewhat claustrophobic. From the confines of a house which has seen no love in many a year, to the small community in which is it almost impossible to be invisible, right through to the lake which ultimately claimed Victoria’s life, you can feel it all clinging to and consuming Sylvie. And the pacing of the book compliments this perfectly.
All in all a great psychological thriller which will keep you hooked from start to finish.
November 28, 2017
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
What an intriguing storyline!
Sylvie is trying her hardest to forget her past, especially considering the fact that her past contains memories of her best friend, Victoria's, death. Buried emotions are brought back to the surface when Victoria's parents put their daughter's death back into the media, hoping someone would finally own up for Victoria's death. Seeing as twenty years has passed and nobody has come forward, the community aren't holding out much hope for the killer to randomly come forward after all of this time...
The storyline of 'Her Best Friends' switches between the past and present. Whilst we do get to go back in time to the night of Victoria's death, we only really catch a glimpse of what happened that night. Predominantly the emotion, naturally. Reading those 'past' parts of the book, it probably sounds ignorant of me to say, but I didn't feel like there was anything untoward apart from the obvious. If you asked me to point a finger at one of the characters who I thought were responsible or knew something about Victoria's death, I honestly wouldn't have been able to. That said, when Victoria's parents brought in Sam to help put the murder back into the media, I only began to suspect a character because of other character's opinions and not because I managed to work it out. In all honesty, putting my faith into certain characters who decided to come out of the woodwork at the 'right' time, really was naive of me. However, due to the way in which the author had told the story, I was able to over think Victoria's death big time which meant that when the story concluded, the truth had my jaw dropping by at least 6 foot.
As horrible as this probably sounds, when I was reading the parts where Victoria was alive, I found myself disliking her almost straight away. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I thought Victoria deserved to die - that would be nasty, but there was something about her character which really, really bugged me. Not that it matters, obviously, as she only appeared in the book for a short amount of time!
'Her Best Friend' is such an addictive read. This isn't the sort of book where you can think 'just one more chapter then I'll go to bed'. Not at all. It's the type of book which is extremely likely to get under your skin, with an even higher chance of removing any sign of logical thinking when it comes to pausing the book. It would not surprise me if most of the readers who picked up Sarah Wray's novel, turned round and said that they finished it in one sitting.
Even though most of my thoughts of this book are extremely positive, there were a couple of chapters where I felt like the storyline had slowed down far too much, which meant that I was left waiting for everything to pick back up again. Personally I feel that the storyline would have flowed a bit better if the pace was a bit faster. However, I still enjoyed the book nonetheless.
I began this book with no expectations, but I ended the book with my jaw on the floor and the words, 'what the f.....' spilling out of my mouth before I could even stop them. What a fantastic, unexpected conclusion which, in my eyes, was the star of the show tenfold.
Thanks Bookouture.
What an intriguing storyline!
Sylvie is trying her hardest to forget her past, especially considering the fact that her past contains memories of her best friend, Victoria's, death. Buried emotions are brought back to the surface when Victoria's parents put their daughter's death back into the media, hoping someone would finally own up for Victoria's death. Seeing as twenty years has passed and nobody has come forward, the community aren't holding out much hope for the killer to randomly come forward after all of this time...
The storyline of 'Her Best Friends' switches between the past and present. Whilst we do get to go back in time to the night of Victoria's death, we only really catch a glimpse of what happened that night. Predominantly the emotion, naturally. Reading those 'past' parts of the book, it probably sounds ignorant of me to say, but I didn't feel like there was anything untoward apart from the obvious. If you asked me to point a finger at one of the characters who I thought were responsible or knew something about Victoria's death, I honestly wouldn't have been able to. That said, when Victoria's parents brought in Sam to help put the murder back into the media, I only began to suspect a character because of other character's opinions and not because I managed to work it out. In all honesty, putting my faith into certain characters who decided to come out of the woodwork at the 'right' time, really was naive of me. However, due to the way in which the author had told the story, I was able to over think Victoria's death big time which meant that when the story concluded, the truth had my jaw dropping by at least 6 foot.
As horrible as this probably sounds, when I was reading the parts where Victoria was alive, I found myself disliking her almost straight away. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I thought Victoria deserved to die - that would be nasty, but there was something about her character which really, really bugged me. Not that it matters, obviously, as she only appeared in the book for a short amount of time!
'Her Best Friend' is such an addictive read. This isn't the sort of book where you can think 'just one more chapter then I'll go to bed'. Not at all. It's the type of book which is extremely likely to get under your skin, with an even higher chance of removing any sign of logical thinking when it comes to pausing the book. It would not surprise me if most of the readers who picked up Sarah Wray's novel, turned round and said that they finished it in one sitting.
Even though most of my thoughts of this book are extremely positive, there were a couple of chapters where I felt like the storyline had slowed down far too much, which meant that I was left waiting for everything to pick back up again. Personally I feel that the storyline would have flowed a bit better if the pace was a bit faster. However, I still enjoyed the book nonetheless.
I began this book with no expectations, but I ended the book with my jaw on the floor and the words, 'what the f.....' spilling out of my mouth before I could even stop them. What a fantastic, unexpected conclusion which, in my eyes, was the star of the show tenfold.
Thanks Bookouture.
February 18, 2018
Sylvie has not been back to her home town of Conley since her best friend Victoria was murdered, until her mother’s death. With her newborn daughter in tow she begins to clear her mum’s house out. She runs into Victoria’s parents who tell her there’s a documentary being made trying to shine some light on Victoria’s murderer.
What really happened to Victoria that night?
The story is told from Sylvie and Sam’s view points, with chapter interspersed with flashbacks from 1995. I think this is third book I’ve read lately that has some aspect of ‘true crime’ in it. Sam, a former journalist, is looking for Victoria’s murderer and making a documentary in the process. It’s classic amateur detective trying to solve a murder stuff, I didn’t really get a psychological thriller vibe from it although it’s still an enjoyable read.
The characters were well rounded and individual from Sylvie, the neurotic new mum, to her old friend Michelle who was a little weird and creepy at times.
I really enjoyed the flashbacks. I liked getting to know a young Sylvie and Victoria who frankly was not that nice a person, but she really reminded me of girls from when I was a teenager.
Unfortunately even though the story started off so promising, the ending fell a bit flat and predictable.
What really happened to Victoria that night?
The story is told from Sylvie and Sam’s view points, with chapter interspersed with flashbacks from 1995. I think this is third book I’ve read lately that has some aspect of ‘true crime’ in it. Sam, a former journalist, is looking for Victoria’s murderer and making a documentary in the process. It’s classic amateur detective trying to solve a murder stuff, I didn’t really get a psychological thriller vibe from it although it’s still an enjoyable read.
The characters were well rounded and individual from Sylvie, the neurotic new mum, to her old friend Michelle who was a little weird and creepy at times.
I really enjoyed the flashbacks. I liked getting to know a young Sylvie and Victoria who frankly was not that nice a person, but she really reminded me of girls from when I was a teenager.
Unfortunately even though the story started off so promising, the ending fell a bit flat and predictable.
January 5, 2018
I received this book form the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Usually I like books like that - unreliable narrator, different POVs, mystery from the past, few creepers and stalkers. But this time... oh wow, that was BORING.
The story drags on and on and on and on... Nothing happens until like 70% of the book.
The protagonist - Sylvie -is not unlikable but she's not likable either.. she's just nothing. Her story is not engaging enough. Actually it's quite boring to the point that you do not care what happens to her, what happens to her baby and what happened to Victoria all those years ago.
The dialogues are mostly cringe and fake sounding.
Also, you do not remember what happened on a specific day 20 years ago almost minute by minute. You just don't. And that made the whole "investigation" unbelieveable.
"Oh on this day 20 years ago I went for a walk aroud the lake. I left home at 4:30 and came back at 7:03. I remember exactly, because it was unusually warm for this time of year.
SAID NO ONE EVER!
Usually I like books like that - unreliable narrator, different POVs, mystery from the past, few creepers and stalkers. But this time... oh wow, that was BORING.
The story drags on and on and on and on... Nothing happens until like 70% of the book.
The protagonist - Sylvie -is not unlikable but she's not likable either.. she's just nothing. Her story is not engaging enough. Actually it's quite boring to the point that you do not care what happens to her, what happens to her baby and what happened to Victoria all those years ago.
The dialogues are mostly cringe and fake sounding.
Also, you do not remember what happened on a specific day 20 years ago almost minute by minute. You just don't. And that made the whole "investigation" unbelieveable.
"Oh on this day 20 years ago I went for a walk aroud the lake. I left home at 4:30 and came back at 7:03. I remember exactly, because it was unusually warm for this time of year.
SAID NO ONE EVER!
December 11, 2017
Thanks to Netgalley for my copy. 2.5 Stars
Sylvie returns to her hometown after the death of her mother. She is accompanied by her baby Victoria named after her teenage friend who was found dead when they were 15. No one was ever arrested for the murder of Victoria and the community are still looking for answers.
This book alternates between the past and the present. Sylvie in the present is dealing with the aftermath of her mother's death and a fractious baby. She is overwrought and emotional. A journalist is delving into the death of her friend and the past begins to unravel.
Unfortunately although this storyline is interesting this book is incredibly slow. I felt that nothing happened until about 65% in. By then I was losing interest and starting to skim read. I had little empathy for any of the characters and couldn't wait for it to finish. I really enjoyed her previous book so this was a big disappointment for me.
Sylvie returns to her hometown after the death of her mother. She is accompanied by her baby Victoria named after her teenage friend who was found dead when they were 15. No one was ever arrested for the murder of Victoria and the community are still looking for answers.
This book alternates between the past and the present. Sylvie in the present is dealing with the aftermath of her mother's death and a fractious baby. She is overwrought and emotional. A journalist is delving into the death of her friend and the past begins to unravel.
Unfortunately although this storyline is interesting this book is incredibly slow. I felt that nothing happened until about 65% in. By then I was losing interest and starting to skim read. I had little empathy for any of the characters and couldn't wait for it to finish. I really enjoyed her previous book so this was a big disappointment for me.
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