Underwhelmed and boring. The story was drastically overly descriptive without a need to. It seems like just words filling a page to meet quota. The characters aren't relatable and did not pull me into the story. The toggle back and forth between present and past did not help the back story. It was a really hard book to get through.

Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have enjoyed Diane Jeffrey's previous thriller very much. I was expecting another. The blurb talks about two friends, Laura and Sandy, with one having a secret which could tear the friendship apart. While I guess that premise could be true, this is not your typical domestic noir where two good friends are dating the same man in New York. It’s a story about international terrorism, radicalism, grief and guilt and the columnative effect on these two women. If I knew that in advance I would have skipped this book and that would have been a shame, it’s heartbreaking and relevant, a story crossing various boundaries and timelines, inherent beliefs on both sides. Well written, character driven novel.

Such a well-written story of two women with nothing in common except a tragic moment. One holds a secret that could destroy their friendship. I enjoyed reading this book very much. The emotions and ordeals Laura and Sandrine have to go through to overcome this tragedy are great. I highly recommend this book.

Could not keep up! I pride myself on being able to solve the mystery as soon as or before the end is actually disclosed. Not this time! This is a complex plot which manages to keep the reader enthralled rather than frustrated. Add some stellar characters and you have a great book to read...if you’re prepared to do so in a single session!

Purely devastating.

I was so gripped by the details and the emotions in the story but it took me longer to read the book because I kept getting the names and the French messed up in my head.

I was confused about 50% of the book trying to place names with characters and feelings with characters so I couldn’t enjoy the book to its fullest.

An ok read for me. This is a story of friendship, love and loss and it’s well written with chapters that take you both before a violent act and alternately some time in the future.

A decent tale, with good writing, it just didn’t grab me and for me, it wasn’t the gripping read I was hoping for. Definitely an OK one though and I’m grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

This book took me by surprise. I don’t know quite how to describe this book. A devastating night with three young terrorists killing people at a concert in Lyon. An Irish woman who survived befriends one of the terrorist’s mother online, without her knowing her true identity.

The book is surprisingly hopeful. All the events and reflections on the events are handled in a calmly matter, so that it’s easy to follow, and know what is going on in everyone’s head. After the panic has settled and everyone is left to deal with their pain some manage to move forward while others seem to have a harder time.

The book is written from two perspectives. I enjoy reading both. The book could have been a bit shorter, but otherwise it was really good. It deals with important issues that are not really talked about in our society. What happens to the surviving siblings of terrorists? Will the parents ever find the answers to why their son did it? How can life go on when you feel guilty about you surviving while your friends lost their lives?

Thankfully most of us will not have to deal with these issues. I however do appreciate the author showing the other side of overcoming something like this. I do not want to give away too much, so you will just have to read the book to understand what I mean. It is always worth trying to understand that sometimes you have to forgive and move on, and that after devastating events there might be people everyone hates in need of help and support.

I had no idea what to expect from this book but this wasn’t it. It was extremely well written, the characters leapt off the page and I thought it tackled a difficult subject superbly. In fact I don’t think I’ve read another book about the aftermath of a mass shooting.

So that’s what this book is about. And it dealt sensitively with issues such as PTSD, panic attacks and survivor’s guilt. It explored the aftermath not just from the point of view of the survivors and their families and friends but also looked at how the family of one of the perpetrators suffered, wondering how they could have prevented such a tragedy. So tick, tick tick all good - the only problem was I didn’t find it thrilling. Nevertheless this book will appeal to those who enjoy a character driven drama. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to Netgalley, HQ Digital and Diane Jeffrey for providing a copy. My opinions are my own.

I loved this book. Stayed up until three a.m.just because I couldn't put it down. Excellent writing, wonderful characters and overall a five star read. Don't miss this one.

A duel, timeline thriller slipping between the present day and recent past and between Ireland and La Belle France.
Meet Laura, the reluctant, plain friend who'd do almost anything other than go on the annual girlie holiday - a holiday with far reaching consequences.
Gripping thriller.

Love thrillers and this one was right up my alley.
Picked it up and didn't want to put it down.
Great writing style. And overall a fantastic book.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an early release of this book..

Really enjoyed this book, I found it quite gripping and very enjoyable. One night really did change everything, and they both need to keep their secret between them, doesn’t always work out that way though does it?

Psychological thriller that surrounds to friends and a traumatic event that occurred. I eagerly devoured this book and highly recommend it to anyone that likes a great mystery.

This was a thriller I was not expecting at all. More of an exploration of the feelings and impact of the events on the people left behind.
Really very sad and kept me guessing what would happen.
The story starts with the account of laura, who goes on holiday with her friends only for something awful to happen- this is only part of the story though.
I liked the characters and found myself thinking about the plot a lot as I read it.
Would definitely recommend.

I really enjoyed this book - It was a great read filled with several twists and honest explorations of big issues.

I appreciated the care that Diane Jeffrey took in describing the violent acts in this book. She focused more on people's emotions rather than the brutal events that happened to them - and I found that to be a very powerful approach.

I loved that the story unfolded through two different perspectives - It was perfectly executed and I loved that email messages were included in the story.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and to Jeffrey herself for giving me the chance to enjoy this great read!

Unfortunately the description of the book was quite vague. I wasn’t too keen on the plot once I started reading it. It was overall still a good read though with plenty of thrills to satisfy a fan of thrillers.

I received an advance copy of, The Silent Friend by, Diane Jeffrey. This was a thriller, but I found it boring. Was not to my taste at all. A terrorist, trusting the wrong person.

Really enjoyed reading this book, couldn't put it down, must admit its one that I would happily pick up again and read,
Overall I would recommend to anyone to read it, can't wait to get it on my page and let my followers know what I think about it!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Laura and her friends were excited to see a band play in France. At the concert, people started shooting. Two of Laura's friends were killed and another friend was injured. Laura suffered from survivors guilt because she was unharmed. Laura met a women online who also lost someone that day. This book was gripping.

#TheSilentFriend #NetGalley
A clever psychological thriller.
It's always the best friend, isn't it?
Laura and Sandy, one tragic event changed the course of their lives forever.Now they are the only ones who understand each another, drawn together by the night that changed everything.But one of them is keeping a secret that could destroy their fragile friendship. Only she knows just how closely their lives are linked.When the secret is revealed, will their friendship survive? Or will the truth tear them apart?
Narration of the story was it's strength. I loved Laura.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me an advance copy.