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Your Only Friend

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Can you ever truly trust a stranger? 

Sinead, a feisty and damaged young woman, struggles to navigate life in London without the support of her family and friends.

Her personal life is a mess but when her new landlord, Elliot, a seemingly decent and ordinary man, offers her friendship Sinead is grateful for the attention.

But as Sinead becomes more alienated from her family and friends, the relationship with her landlord takes a sinister turn. 

What exactly are Elliot’s intentions?

And can Sinead overcome her inner demons and escape the malignant friendship that threatens her freedom and sanity?

Your Only Friend is a chilling and unmissable psychological thriller by debut author RJ Lindsay. It's the perfect read for fans of authors like Teresa Driscoll, Dean Koontz and Samantha Hayes

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 19, 2020

423 people are currently reading
374 people want to read

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R.J. Lindsey

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5 stars
255 (35%)
4 stars
255 (35%)
3 stars
162 (22%)
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33 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for Bren fall in love with the sea..
1,964 reviews476 followers
October 17, 2020
"I’ve always been ready for you. Don’t be afraid. All you’ve got to do is show yourself – let me take care of the rest. I’ll listen to your hopes and fears; I’ll say those things you need to hear. It’s easy. And then you’ll give me everything I want."

Your Only Friend
by R.J. Lindsey

Wow. I really do not know what to say about this one. On one hand, it was creepy....really really creepy.

On the other..it was frustrating.

Sinead is seeking a home of her own. She's been living with her her old friends and mates but they are grating on her. She is having no luck with housing until she goes to see a lovely house where Elliot, a reserved single man is looking for a lodger. That is when the problems begin...


OK..So first things first. I LOVED Sinead. She is a tough and strong lady who is also a wounded bird. Her heart is broken. That is because her mom has passed, she is estranged from her dad, she is lonely and the man she loves is dating her friend, her job is fulfilling but does not pay great and her girlfriends are a bunch of catty bitches.

She has much on her shoulders.

But most of all, she doesn't feel she has accomplished much. She is contemplative and and yearning for new experiences. Just not the one she gets here.

Elliot..the landlord..is a psycho. Not a spoiler..we know that from the very beginning. And boy oh boy does he have plans for Sinead..

OK..this book was a quick read, fun and creepy. Why only three stars?

First off..I hated Sinead's "friends". Oh man. What a self centered group of shit bags. I really wanted more of that story because I could not understand why they turned on Sinead like they did and that was well before..without spoilers..the incident. I wish we had received more of that plot point. But man, What a bunch. And really, so realistic.

Warning: for anyone who has had toxic friendships, (everyone, the world over).......trigger alert. And believe me I am one of those people and yes, some of the book friends, one in particular, reminded me of a few old friends of mine. Poor Sinead. And that BEFORE the crazy landlord's schemes come into the equation.

As for Elliot..he was almost TO creepy. I was so utterly repelled by him, I just wanted to finish the book. He was such a creep. Actually with the exception of our main girl..everyone was pretty much a creep in this one.

But the writer really gets the mood perfect. And I loved all the references to "The talented Mr. Ripley".

I give the writer credit for not turning the end into a cliche. I would actually give this a 3.5 which is not a bad rating. But a five is not on my radar with this one.

It is a fast, creepy, sometimes infuriating read that is well written and fun in its way. Read it on a rainy Saturday night.
Profile Image for Sarah.
1,643 reviews177 followers
February 19, 2020
A typical thriller that left me shocked at the criminal and overwhelming sympathy for the victim. Lindsey follows a well-used formula and, whilst the narrative did not surprise me, I enjoyed being able to slip effortlessly into this game of manipulation.

Sinead is a character who I will increasingly felt sorry for other the duration of the story. However, I did feel that the writer could have developed her character a bit further. There are some references to Sinead’s parents and her mother’s death, but I would have enjoyed a cheeky flashback to add more depth to her background. Secondly, there is a lot of references made to Sinead’s friends and how her relationship with them recently deteriorated. I would have liked to have seen more narrative dedicated to this transformation; to understand if it is a case of bitchy women living together or something deeper within Sinead. Things are suggested but I wanted more detail.

Lindsey successfully creates a creepy criminal with Miles/Elliot. I enjoyed seeing an insight into his mindset and the cold, calculating way he uses Sinead. As Sinead loses more of her friends, Elliot’s grooming becomes more obvious. I felt Sinead’s suffocation through the pages: both in terms of her strange relationship with her landlord, but also from her accident and lost friends. As such, the dynamics between the two characters is fraught and I was desperate for Sinead to realise the truth about Elliot.

A definitely pacey read, I completed this story in the course of the day. I can’t say I was completely thrilled by the mystery but more intrigued to see how Sinead and Elliot’s relationship would develop. The way that Elliot forces circumstances and turns Sinead’s estranged friends from her was truly chilling, especially as it became clear that no one believed her protestations. In this case, the writer brilliantly portrayed the strength of Elliot’s actions.

If you are after a quick thriller, then this could be the read for you. There is plenty to keep readers intrigued whilst making you feel increasingly sympathetic towards the protagonist.

With thanks to Bloodhound books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Sue.
1,420 reviews5 followers
February 19, 2020
YOUR ONLY FRIEND is the debut psychological thriller by RJ Lindsey.

Sinead Woods works for a fundraising agency as a fundraising veteran. She is currently living with her friends in London, since graduation….and without the support of her friends and family, she goes looking for a new place to live.

She goes to view a furnished house for rent in the suburbs, and falls in love with it. Sinead offers her new landlord, Elliot, a two-month-trial finalizing the offer with cash She can’t wait to move into his lovely home next weekend.

But Elliot had been curious about Sinead, as he had recognized her from somewhere. Where had they met? Sinead was clever and skilled in manipulating Elliot to rent to her, and he was intrigued.

It was her twenty-sixth birthday, and the best present she could ask for, as she had struggled after the death of her mother, and her university friends were her family. She was moving out for the sake of their friendship.

Elliot, a seemingly decent and ordinary man was in financial distress, but more than that he was lonely with no friends. He offers Sinead friendship and she is grateful for the attention.

But soon the relationship with her landlord takes a drastic turn. Elliot is deranged and dangerous.

“His instincts told him she wasn’t a threat; he was fairly confident she wasn’t connected to anyone he had ever killed.”

He needed to know that he could trust her. She must show it…

This was a slow-paced enjoyable debut psychological thriller with short chapters to have you gripped to the end.

Many thanks to the author and Bloodhound Books for my digital copy.


Profile Image for Linda Strong.
3,878 reviews1,711 followers
February 19, 2020
3.5 STARS

Sinead has just moved out from a shared apartment with three of her friends. Her personal life is in shambles, but she's determined to make new friends, especially as her established friends seem to have turned against her. She's not sure what she's done .. but she's out of there.

She finds a rental that is perfect for her. The landlord is a little different, and Sinead starts to feel 'funny'. He says he works and he disappears from time to time. He doesn't seem to recognize his name on the mail. He can be very friendly ... or not.

He doesn't seem to be sexually attracted t her .. but there's just something that is a little off. He's determined to be her best friend ... whether she wants him in that role or not.

Can you ever truly trust a stranger?

Although not especially suspenseful, as the reader knows close to the beginning what exactly the danger is .. it did keep me reading, I wanted to understand just how evil he was. The ending was explosive and surprising.

Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books for the digital copy of this psychological drama. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Profile Image for Mark.
1,704 reviews
February 17, 2020

A fast paced chilling read

Sinead has had enough of living with her friends in London’s bed sit land and decides to look for a bigger room in the suburbs.....the one she finds is perfect, a good size, nice area, brand new furnishings and affordable

And the landlord? Elliot? Well he is reserved but seems genteel and non threatening

What Sinead doesn’t realise is Elliot may not be who he says he is nor as ‘landlord perfect’ as he seems

The book then follows the rather ( I found ) at times odd personality of Sinead as she becomes more and more aware that things are not ‘quite right’ and ends with a climax of....well am not saying but it is intense and brutal!

There is an ongoing side story re
Sinead and her ex flat mates and best friends which is a bit confusing as to how it gets so ‘out of hand’ and also I did question the way Sinead with such gay abandon ( and without any research ) moved into Elliot’s bungalow and trusted him but that didn’t make for a bad story, in fact for a debut this is a really good read with interesting premise, character driven and a fascinating by line look at ‘chuggers’ that was unexpected!

8/10
4 Stars
Profile Image for Adele Shea.
726 reviews21 followers
February 18, 2020
I am always honest with my reviews and I just have to say this weren't my cup of tea. I don't know what it is. The concept was good but I just found it rather slow.
Profile Image for Julie Lacey.
2,044 reviews130 followers
February 17, 2020
Oh this is a great read that had me hooked right from the start.
Sinead is looking for somewhere to live as she’s had enough of her housemates in London. She answers an ad and goes to Beckenham to look at the house.
Sinead is surprised when Elliot initially says he’s changed his mind but she lays on the charm and gets him to agree to a two month trial.
Sinead loves the bungalow and also the space Elliot seems to be giving her, as he works away a lot.
Her friendship with her former housemates soon crumbles and Sinead can’t work out what she’s done wrong.
As she gets to know Elliot she becomes a bit wary of him but can’t quite put her finger on what’s wrong.
Soon Sinead has no-one in her life and Elliott seems to be acting more and more strangely.
I won’t say an more as I really don’t want to spoil it, but if you like an addictive psychological thriller then this book is for you.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Profile Image for Bobbi Wagner.
5,049 reviews65 followers
February 19, 2020
This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed it. I can't wait to see what is next for this author. This is a creative, well written story that had twists and turns that had me sitting on the edge of my seat. This was a fast paced story that was engaging and kept me turning pages. The characters brought the story to life. Find out what happens when freedom, survival and sanity are all threatened. I highly recommend this book.
4 reviews
October 25, 2020
I’d give this book 2.5 stars, honestly. The idea of the book and the theme is quite interesting, but I think that it was not as thrilling and exciting as it should have been. The book’s climax was too late, as it was just at the very end of the book when Sinead killed Miles (aka Elliot). It’d have been more interesting if the author had built up the plot more gradually instead of adding unnecessary details until the end. When I first started reading the book, I felt bored, but thought maybe I should just wait. However, I’d drift off in the middle because the details didn’t catch my attention and keep me focused. I think Sinead was a little stupid for deciding to prod and poke more into Miles’s life in only the last few chapters, and the author should’ve made the story more suspenseful. The ending was wrapped up too quickly. However, the good things about this book are the basic idea and the theme, which as that people aren’t always who they seem to be. This was well shown in Miles’s character, and I like the way the author portrayed him, but Sinead’s character wasn’t as interesting. Overall, the idea was a unique one that was just not executed in a way that would make the reader compelled to keep going.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Soph.
112 reviews13 followers
March 13, 2020
Sinead lives with her university friends in London and makes the decision to start afresh and move out somewhere new. Sinead moves in with her new landlord, Elliot, and Sinead appreciates his welcoming approach as she starts her 2 month trial period renting one of his rooms. However, as Sinead becomes wary of Elliot's strange behaviour is Elliot really the person he appears to be?

I really enjoyed following Sinead's life throughout the story and felt myself feeling some sort of empathy towards her. However, I feel as though they could have gone a bit more in depth in regards to her past rather than focusing on her future too much as I feel as though that would have given the story a more personal touch.

An all round good story that kept me drawn in to an extent. However, I feel as though it was rather slow in places and the story was in some sense dragged out as I knew how it was going to end throughout but this did not take away the suspense that came along with it. I will 100% be reading another R.J Lindsey book in the future!

Profile Image for Dalia Ghorab.
98 reviews3 followers
October 11, 2020
Sinead has suffered from rejection all her life. Her dad abandoned her and her mom, her mom lost herself to alcoholism and died eventually, and now hwr friends have turned against her. She starts looking for a new start and moves to a bungalow in the suburbs as a lodger. The landlord, an older introverted businessman, gives her hopes for a different life, sort of a step towards adulthood.
But nothing is as it seems...
Sinead finds her friendships falling apart and especially after having an accident, finds nobody to count on except for Elliot, who takes care of her and helps her out, in more ways than she knows. Sinead starts seeing a side of Elliot, her landlord, that creeps her out a bit and starts having second thoughts about her new life.


I really enjoyed this book and liked seeing both pov of Sinead’s and Elliot’s.
The writing was effortless and the story was fast paced.
I would have liked it better if we knew how Elliot’s secrets were found out in the end, like how anyone knew he went to Sinead’s friends house?

However, overall, I think this book is 3.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Tania Rook.
489 reviews
March 13, 2024
This is about how much it sucks to be young and in need of share accommodation in London. The relationship between Sinead and Elliot seems exhausting. Because she cannot fund her own place, Sinead must navigate almost workplace level relationships when she is at home. Think about that. How much we take for granted a chance to mooch about and be unpleasant because we've had a bad day without consequence. That is not possible in share accommodation.

Naturally, it's also not what this story is about. The central thesis is great food for thought and the storyline is bendy enough to be unexpected without trying too hard.
45 reviews
March 10, 2020
This author could improve with time.

I struggled to finish this book. The characters were somewhat shallow, some not very believable and there wasn't much mystery or thrills. That being said I think this author could definitely improve it they keep writing. Because I did finish it, and was invested enough to want to see how it ended. You can tell they have talent. (Sorry, not sure if they're male or female from the limited description.) Anyway I'd probably read another, just to see how they're developing.
669 reviews2 followers
April 24, 2020
This a a good thriller. The psycho is done well & the theme of isolation was good. What really stood out to me is the portrayal of the main character. It seemed very accurate for a woman of this age in this time. It is markedly different than me being that age in my time, but the theme of loneliness & dysfunctional family resonates. The character actually seems immature for her age to me, but there was a lot of direct hitting interaction with the other characters. Well done.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Emma Bunce.
98 reviews1 follower
September 8, 2020
Room renters be aware

Wow... Creepy, dark & gripping... If you like that, then this is a book for you. I was good to get key knowledge of one of the main characters up front, it made me want to continue reading. Lots of manipulation & oddities, Very at written. I would be interested in a book about Miles & his back story. If you like tense moments & weird characters it's another reason to read this book
28 reviews1 follower
September 17, 2020
Read this in one sitting!

Sinead is a young woman living in London. She is living with a group of university friends, but decided to strike out on her own. She answers an ad for a rented room. This story is about her relationship with her friends and her landlord. This book is impossible to put down. I highly recommend it!
Profile Image for Evelina .
245 reviews3 followers
March 21, 2020
Not much suspense as you know what’s going on, and quite slow, I found it slightly boring to read. I felt sorry for Sinead but didn’t quite click with me. I was expecting more with the whole situation with her housemates but nothing really happened. Shame, the concept was good.
Profile Image for Suzanne  Pitchford .
21 reviews
March 22, 2020
Fabulous read

Excellent reading, Sinead perhaps a darker character than she would ever suspect. Page turning thrilling dark psychological story of two characters caught in a form of codependency. Wry laugh out loud moments interwoven with wit, sharpness and accuracies.
Profile Image for Helen Lancaster Lancaster.
486 reviews5 followers
March 30, 2020
One word fantastic

What a brilliant book. It's ages since I enjoyed a book so much. I'm not going to give any spoilers just buy it now you won't be disappointed. Thank you R.J. Lindsey👍👍📕
121 reviews
April 25, 2020
Found this book just alright, readable to fill time but didn’t leave much of an impression, I’ll never want to go back to it again or tell my friends about it being a great book I found. The epitome of “meh” but it was free on kindle unlimited so can’t complain
Profile Image for Margaret Duke-Wyer.
529 reviews5 followers
June 11, 2020
I was quite intrigued by this book but did not find it believable. Right from the start I kept thinking "is it likely that a young woman would go and share a house with some random man?" That said, I did finish the book.
Profile Image for Kelly.
28 reviews
February 21, 2020
Absolutely brilliant book, loved how it made you think about people you trust and friendship
70 reviews1 follower
March 1, 2020
Recommend you read

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Very suspenseful and had you waiting and reading on to see what would happen next. Very good book
69 reviews1 follower
Read
March 18, 2020
A great read , you will wait to see what happens next and you will be amazed. Go for it you will love it.
150 reviews
March 31, 2020
A young girl moves in with an older man as a lodger. Simple you would think, but does she really know what she is getting into? Find out and, if single, check out any future housemates. Scary.
3 reviews
April 2, 2020
Great

Great book, gripping at first and an enjoyable read throughout. Thankyou I will consider reading more from this author x
Profile Image for Anna Maria.
342 reviews
April 7, 2020
Brilliant read from beginning to end. I would recommend this book 100%
Profile Image for Steve  .
267 reviews6 followers
April 14, 2020
Brilliant thriller with a proper ending.
Profile Image for celene irwin.
282 reviews3 followers
April 15, 2020
Boring

Agh not my type of story at all. I thought there could have been a bit of nail biting suspense going on but there wasnt. The was no build up to the end.
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