Thank you to NetGalley and Tracy Buchanan for the ARC of this book. I am leaving an honest review.
The story takes place in the present time and 20 years ago. Liz is the main character and I could not get my head around her and maybe I was not supposed to. Because of this, I felt I was somewhat disconnected from the whole story. Liz's Mom is just one scary character and I would cringe when I had to read anything with her in it. The storyline is interesting and develops well and the back and forth of the 20 years is well done. Overall I would recommend the book it just was not one of my favorites.

This book gripped me afte4 a couple of page. Liz is the local Postie in a village by the sea. She has returned after 20years now divorced with two daughters. She however has a secret she has kept for 20 years to protect her childhood friend Tamsin. Tamsin has now returned to the large Manor house on cliff overlooking the sea, following the death of her mother.
Murder, mystery and intrigue ensue as Liz reverts to her experience as a journalist, to uncover what is going on at the Manor.

A woman tries to figure out why her longtime best friend is acting so out of character. As the she battles her own challenges and tries to get to the bottom of the issue, the woman deals with unwanted advances, small-town gossip, and the memories of the worst night of her life. Author Tracy Buchanan offers readers a mostly satisfying mystery in her latest book Secrets Between Friends.

After 20 years away from Easthaven, Liz Barrowman has returned to the small English town by the sea. She’s brought her two daughters, Ruby and Mia, with her following a nasty divorce from her husband, Scott. Liz wants full custody of their girls, but, of course, Scott is fighting her. In order to prove she’s a reliable, responsible parent, Liz takes a job as the town mail carrier. It’s a far cry from her dream to become a journalist, but at this point Liz will take whatever she can get if it means she can keep Mia and Ruby.

The one consolation is that Liz runs into Tamsin Lakewell, her one-time best friend. Liz hasn’t seen Tamsin since she left Easthaven, but knowing Tamsin is back in town too makes life a little more bearable. In order to save money, Liz and her daughters have moved in with Liz’s mother who is disabled and bitter about everything in life—including the fact that she has actually to be a mother and grandmother now. Seeing Tamsin again brings back good memories for Liz of spending time at Lakewell Manor, the mansion where Tamsin and her mother lived all those years ago.

Unfortunately, it also bring back memories of a terrible accident. Liz does her best to handle the nightmares. Now that the women have reunited, maybe they can face it together. Then Liz sees Tamsin again, and her friend doesn’t seem to recognize her.

It doesn’t make sense. Just because Tamsin has a new boyfriend in her life, why would she suddenly forget about all the good times with Liz? And why does it feel like Tamsin isn’t herself? The longer Liz observes her friend, the more she gets the feeling that something fishy is going on. Soon enough, she gets the sneaking suspicion that something has happened to Tamsin and that an imposter has taken her place. But why? And what does it mean that bad things keep happening to Liz ever since the fake Tamsin has shown up?

Against her better judgment, and risking the custody of her children, Liz starts to search for answers. The more information she uncovers, the more unease she feels. Somehow, though, she knows that her friend is in trouble, and if Liz doesn’t help her it might be too late for both of them.

Author Tracy Buchanan gives readers a lovely look at a different part of England, describing the town by the sea in enough lush detail to make it come alive. Leaning into all the trappings of a small town, Buchanan takes advantage of all the complications that come with a place that’s so small everyone has grown up together and knows one another’s business. By making Liz the mail carrier, Buchanan gives her a unique vantage point on the town.

The mystery itself feels a little predictable in parts. Buchanan’s over-reliance on exclamation points might fatigue some readers; at times, the narrative aims to hype up a plot twist or story reveal with the explosive punctuation, but the excitement doesn’t always land. In fact, Liz comes off as just a touch flighty.

While some parts of the story might surprise readers, some of the subplots feel a little extraneous. The resolution also feels a little too pat. It’s clear the narration is trying to give readers the satisfaction of all questions being answered; the result comes off as quaint.

For the most part, however, Buchanan has created a likeable cast of characters and a satisfying novel. Those looking for a fun mystery might enjoy this one.

This is a twisty mystery, which I enjoyed. The ending was quite a surprise and not at all what one is expecting! I could not put the book down from the middle to the end. Thank you #SecretsBetweenFriends and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

Twenty years ago 15year old Liz and Tamsin become friends. Liz is the daughter of a single mum, who has never shown her any love and Tamsin is the introvert daughter of the lady of the manor Dorothy. They become firm friends and Liz sees what family life could be like with a mother who loves her instead of one who resents her and claims she ruined her life! The 2 girls bond despite their differences and begin spending most days together. Then the handsome and wealthy Gabe grandson of the local hotel owner junks the pair and they strike up a friendship. However secrets are being kept and the truth isn’t being told.
20 years later we meet up with Liz as she reestablishes herself back in her childhood home after her divorce. Her mother is still an old tyrant who belittles Liz at every opportunity. Liz is hiding something that happened in the past and when Tamsin suddenly returns to the manor old Nightmares come back to haunt them both.
Spread between the past and the present we learn what happened the night Gabe disappeared and the present as Liz tried to discover what has happened to Tamsin as she’s not acting herself and Liz believes she has been replaced by a fake Tamsin.
Who is telling the truth and can Liz save her old friend without losing her own family?

I enjoyed this story, I liked Liz and found her a likeable character despite the way she is portrayed to the local Easthaven residents.
I loved how the story flowed, but felt the ending was just a little unbelievable at times.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this title

Wow!!! This cover is amazing!! Loved this book so much! It will keep you guessing and wondering throughout your read. Grab a glass of wine and sit by the fire and prepare to pull an all nighter!

I really liked this! I was captivated by the cover art and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read! I liked getting the two perspectives from the past and present, I always feel like that adds a level of complexity into a mystery! I can't wait to dive into more books from this author.

This is my fourth novel by Tracy Buchanan I think I can safely claim that this talented author is a bit of a favourite. Liz Barrowman has returned to her home fishing village of Easthaven, the place she and her friend, Tamsin Lakewell left twenty years ago. Liz is facing a custody battle over her two daughters and an acrimonious divorce and feels she has no place else to go. Easthaven is the last place she wants to be, living with her mother. Postal worker, Liz is informed by a neighbour that Tamsin is back too and the women meet again but Tamsin has changed, in appearance as well as behaviour...

Deeply engrossing, I really enjoyed reading Secrets Between Friends. Told in past and present format, I could not stop turning the pages of this intense tale. Mysterious and unpredictable, this is one you shouldn't overlook.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Amazing storyline,kept me in suspense all the way through,a real page Turner,loved all the characters,and friendship the book displayed.
A must read,so please put this title on your reading list

This was a really good read! It had a little bit of everything. Including but not limited to Family, love, friendship, mystery, mayhem, murder and a great ending.
Story told as a dual timeline past/present from the main protagonists POV.
My first read from this Author and won't be my last.
Thank you to Netgalley, Amazon Publishing UK Lake Union Publishing and the Author Tracy Buchanan for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an enjoyable and entertaining mystery about Liz, who lives in Easthaven with her daughters and her impossible mother. Twenty years ago, Liz had a best friend, Tamsin, who lived at Lakewell Manor, but a tragic event divided them.....until now. Present day Liz delivers the post around the coastal village of Easthaven and this brings many opportunities for drama and nosiness! Liz is a great character, a single mother who adores her daughters. Sometimes I found myself thinking, ‘oh no, you can’t do that!’ as she interfered in something that wasn’t really her business but she’s a delightful character and it was easy to root for her and hope everything was going to work out well. Secrets, lies, twists and turns, an unexpected ending - lots to enjoy!

Secrets Between Friends by Tracy Buchanan.
Postwoman Liz is excited to hear her old friend Tamsin is returning to their childhood town after years of being away. But when Liz delivers mail to Tamsin’s clifftop manor, she discovers another woman there claiming to be her friend. As Liz tries to prove this woman is an imposter, she finds herself thrust back into a dark past she’s spent years trying to avoid.
Wow. Brilliant read. Twisty and tense. Love this author. 5*.

What a wonderful read Secrets Between Friends is.
The book is set in the present day and what happened twenty years ago.
Friends Liz with an L and Tasmin are the best of friends an unlikely match with Tasmin being from a wealthy family and Liz a poor one.
When the mysterious Gabe enters their lives that summer will change everything.
There are a lot of surprises in this book and it doesn't disappoint.

A good mystery with references to past that impact the present. I loved the atmosphere, the well developed characters, and the mystery kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I love this novel. Fascinating characters, not all loveable. An old mystery, a new mystery, Old friends, new friends, love found, love lost, love blossoming. This was a great read that kept me engaged until the very end. I like the way the mysteries unfolded, bringing the past and present face to face. A good mother, a bad mother, a motherly challenge. What a story. I highly encourage readers to start this journey.

Liz is a Postie (mail carrier) working in the town in which she grew up. She and her two young daughters are living with her oppressive mother following her contentious divorce from the girls’ father. Liz fancies herself a reporter and spends a lot of her free time taking notes on her neighbors doings. Twenty years earlier she and her only friend, Tamsin, befriended a young man who was there working at his grandfather’s hotel. The boy disappeared into the sea the last night they saw him. The novel is set in the present and also in their past, telling both stories. The present also includes Tamsin’s return to the manor house where all their earlier activities took place. The plot is complex with continual twists and turns. It is also well written and fast reading. The end was predictable but not expected, another sign of how well written it was. Thanks to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for this e-ARC.

I enjoyed this book and was hooked early on. It has lots of twists and surprises. I figured out some of the twists, but others were a complete surprise, which is the best thing in a thriller book. Everyone had their own secrets to hide, but they all came to light at the end and tied the story together very well

This is a very well written and exciting book, and I have to say whilst it wasn’t a crime novel where you were wondering who had committed the crime, it was nevertheless a page turner.

I felt for poor Liz, divorced, trying to bring up two girls, living with her dreadful mother, who was neither use nor ornament and so cold hearted and selfish, I think I would have put something in her food! Liz was a hard worker, and did her best. However, she is haunted by events that took place over twenty years ago, involving her best friend Tamsin and a young man.

When it seems Tamsin has returned to the area, and the big house after the death of her mother, she visits Tamsin. However, on seeing Tamsin again a few days later, things are not what they seem. Tamsin doesn’t seem to have any recollection of what happened in the past nor does she seem to recognise her.

What follows is Liz’s dogged determination to get to the truth. She is, of course, hampered by her mother and her ex husband’s custody threat.

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and thought Liz was a modern day Miss Marple. An excellent read.

My thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for the ARC.

This is a cleverly devised and delivered story. The story is a ‘then’ and ‘now’, taking place twenty years part. Everything goes wrong twenty years ago for Tamsin and Liz when a shared male friend lets them down then drowns. They leave and then find themselves back twenty years later. What happened to their friend still haunts them. Then the Tamsin Liz knows disappears and is replaced by a look alike. What’s happened to her friend. Then information is given gradually to the reader to keep up the tension. Eventually everything is solved and it is well worth waiting for. This is a well written book and more exciting than an ordinary murder mystery. I recommend it.

Although this was not rotten for the YA audience I feel that it would be best read by that age group. It involved lots of quirky people that added colour to the story and would relate more readily to the younger reader. The story is set with Now and Then chapters depicting life 20 years apart. I could not relate to Liz at all and certainly did not like the nasty other that she had. The story was good depicting both the lovely home life with the not so good one and there were other comparisons throughout the book .
I did it enjoy the writing style and the repetitive phrases that came up every so often. As a detective book this could have easily met the mark as the story basis had enough in it for me as a reader to. Want to find out the ending.