DNF I read 30% before stopping. I couldn’t engage with the characters. I didn’t care about what happen to them.

This wa ssuch a good book it made my hairs on the back of my neck raise up and I considered sleeping with the light on the night I finished it. Twisty and atmospheric I read this in one sitting.

Oft, well where to start?! It's quite a slow burn and more character based than action but it does do a good job of building the tension and suspicion throughout. I loved the mystery and the relationships between the 3 main characters and I liked that they were well written and not too predictable or stereotypical. I do love a good domestic noir about frenemies and secrets so it was right up my alley! It probably will appeal more to the female reader since we all know how dangerous and devious our gender can be!! A really nice quick and easy read to get you through a wkend

The cover drew me to this book and I wasn't disappointed.

Beth has a perfect life but her past 18 years ago comes back to haunt her.

This was an edge of your seat thriller and it will keep you glued to your seat throughout the story.

From the first page and to the last you knew something wasn't right with Beth and the further you read a the pieces come together in a thrilling twist at the end.

Highly recommended

Beth is privileged, glamorous and everything is going perfectly until one night.

Told from various POV’s and timelines this book explores one bad situation, friendships and what we will do for success.

A good read

Overall a good psychological thriller although for me it was a bit slow in parts after a good beginning. I found myself going off track personally and I kept losing interest in the storyline unfortunately.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for this ARC but it wasn't as good as I was hoping.

I really liked this book, and thought the author did a great job of making it hard to know who you should trust as you were reading. The book centers on Beth, who is rich and glamorous and leads a seemingly perfect life, until one night she comes upon a homeless man who has died of an apparent drug overdose; this thrusts her into the limelight. Enter her friend Saskia, who wants the attention for herself, and local dog groomer Kat, who believes she knew Beth under very different circumstances when they were teens.

The book is told from multiple POVs, primary Beth and Kat, but also some from the homeless guy’s friend Mark and local cop Joe. There are also flashbacks to Kat’s teen years. If this sounds confusing, it’s not at all; the author does a great job of tying everything together into a clean narrative. There are fantastic twists throughout; there were multiple times where I was sure I knew what was really happening only to get surprised by the next chapter. I love when believable red herrings are deployed.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for those who like psychological thrillers. Even if you can usually figure out what’s really going on, yiu might be surprised with this one. I saw others say it was a slow burn but I didn’t feel that way- I read it over the course of a few hours and was fully engaged throughout. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

A show thriller, but wooo what a journey

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

Very slow burn but I’m glad I stuck it out. Ending built up to a satisfactory thriller. 3.5 rounded up

Beth’s life seems perfect, she has a beautiful home, a lovely family and a ‘perfect friend’ in neighbour Saskia. One night Beth’s actions in helping a rough sleeper are posted online. Kat recognises Beth’s photo which triggers memories but of what and why? Kat engineers a meeting, Beth doesn’t recognise her but this triggers a whole host of events which implodes more than one life. The story is told in the present day and via reveals from 2003 and from different perspectives, which works well.

First of all, the characterisation is very good from Beth’s nervy, secretive jitteriness to Saskia overstepping multiple boundaries (grrr) and Kat’s obsessiveness. The three personalities contrast well together and I change my mind many times about them! Beth and Kat have a ton of baggage apiece and their previous lives are buried beneath a considerable weight of lies built on lies especially in Beth’s case.

There’s plenty of tension as various situations play out from cloying hypocrisy to delusion and obsession, from deep held grudges to anger and revenge. At times there’s a claustrophobic sensation of things closing in with lives teetering on the edge of a deep and dark abyss. As the past informs the present day the storytelling undergoes several plot twists and turns including tragedy. The ending is full of drama and I enjoy the way it ultimately ends.

Overall, an entertaining read and a good psychological thriller.

Beth has the perfect life. She has constructed it carefully over the last eighteen years. But one night she makes a choice that risks everything. When Kat sees an article about that night online, buried memories begin to surface. She and Beth were friends once. Things ended badly then, but now she has a chance to make things right.

What is it about some female friendships that bring out the worst in some women? the beauty of this is that it makes for excellent reading. Told from different POV's this story is based on the friendship of Beth, Kat and Saskia. there are some very unresolved issues and emotions tied up in this story and once they are unleashed I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. A very tangled web of resentment and betrayal with excellent characters that really make the story shine.

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publisher for an advanced copy of the book, my opinions are my own and unbiased.

Unfortunately I did not like the way it was written from different view points. I did not find the style enjoyable. I do see how it all came together though but it still caused me to disengage at times.

Told from several view points and across more than one period in the lives of the characters it takes a while to get to grips with who is who and how they are linked but this is not a bad thing- it keeps the intrigue going and allows greater exploration of the characters both then and now and how they have changed over time both in personality and emotional resilience.

What do you do when you’re perfect friend is not so perfect anymore? Spine tingling mystery with twist and turns!!! I want to be really drawn into this perfect plot and couldn’t wait to find out what happened!

My Perfect Friends tells the story of Beth, who's seemingly perfect, after she meets Kat. Beth is soon swept away by this new friendship but she doesn't know Kat isn't who she says she is -or does she?

I kept seeing this book and was intrigued by the cover. Eventually I decided to give it a chance, and I'm glad I did.

This is the second book by Sarah Clarke I read (previously I'd read A Mother Never Lies). Admittedly this is a slow burn but things beging to pick up and the second part is very intriguing.

The story is told from different POVs and switching between the past and present, where eventually all stories collide and make sense.

Beth seems to have the worst luck in the world. First, she sees a man die on the street, which triggers past traumatic memories. If this wasn't bad enough, she has a stalker. Her neighbour Saskia is concerned about her, especially when Beth's stalker shows up at her children's school. Saskia and Beth become incredibly close. Beth is a great friend who is always happy to listen to Saskia's problems, so the sudden appareance of Kat, who Beth takes an instant liking to, makes Saskia jealous. When strange things start to happen Saskia knows Kat is behind them but she has no proof. Is Kat somehow linked to Beth's stalker? Can Saskia save Beth?

Ps. I'm "literally" laughing as I proof-read my review because of that amazing twist... ;-)

goodreads.com/booksireadandliked
Disclosure: I would like to thank the publisher and author for my advanced review copy of the book. This is my honest review

I have mixed feelings about this one, there were some interesting twists but the writing style felt melodramatic to me to the point that the characters were not relatable. I think others will like it but not a favorite

Fascinating insight on female relationships. Raced through this book. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Disastrous Consequences…?
The perfect life - for Beth this is something that she aspires to, something that she may even think that she has. She’s certainly made every effort to make that happen. Will one bad choice ruin it all? When Kat sees something that makes her think twice, she too makes a decision. With both Beth and Kat pretending that they are something or someone they are not, surely disastrous consequences are afoot. Dark, tense and menacing psychological suspense where nothing and no one are quite what they appear. With a complex and well drawn cast of characters and an immersive storyline this is a gripping tale.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing style was pleasant to read and all characters and conversations felt authentic.

I found the plot interesting and enjoyed the different perspectives. The ending was fantastic - I was really pleasantly surprised by it.

I did find the middle section of the book a little bit long-winded but it was worth it for the pay off at the end.

A slow burning but engrossing thriller that genuinely keeps you guessing.. well drawn if mildly cliched characters and a well paced plot with enough twists to keep you guessing. I enjoyed reading this a lot.