Nothing worse than friends that you owe a favour to! Just what has happened between Carl and Jason? This novel takes you on a cat and mouse chase into their friendship and just what went on in the past. It certainly holds weight to 'keep your friends close, your enemies closer'. I enjoyed this fast paced thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Best Friend by Susanna Beard in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Great fast paced, easy read with short chapters that hold your attention all the way to the end. You will really enjoy this book if you like lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing.

Jason is Alice' s love of her life whom she trusts and would do anything for him. Jason's childhood friend, Carl shows up out of no where saying he needs a place to stay for a while. Jason automatically assumes Carl is in trouble and is proven right when Carl asks for money. Carl is in trouble with some bad people and has put Jason and Alice in a bad place just for getting involved. Jason eventually tries to help Carl with his problem because according to Carl, Jason "owes him". Jason finds himself getting too deep in Carl's mess and decides that he will have to make a few sacrifices in order to keep himself and Alice safe.

I thought the characters were well written and the storyline was given life with the perfect amount of descriptive text and character dialogue. I felt like the author gave the characters personality and it showed in the way the characters reacted to the plot which the reader feel like they are immersing themselves in the story.

Overall, the storyline was good. I predicted quite a bit of the story but because of how the author writes I was enjoying the book either way. Since reading this book I have read one more Susanna Beard book and have added a few other titles to my TBR.

Everyone has a friend who at one point or another has said, "you owe me". I know I have!

Late one night Jason and Alice have an old friend, Carl, turn up on their doorstep. They haven't seen him in a long time, but they know he wants something. He's the type of friend who always wants something. The only explanation Jason offers Alice is that Carl is his friend so he has to help him. He owes him. Things get complicated for the young couple fast and it's a race against time to save themselves from Carl's mistakes.

This was a fast-pace read that kept my attention. I liked Alice and Jason as a couple, but didn't really connect with Carl as the villain. I was also waiting for a big twist which didn't happen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This synopsis grabbed me as soon as I read it. Unfortunately, the ending was a let down for me. The pacing was wrong also. I liked it but I couldnt say I loved it.

Hold onto your seats, thriller fans! I just devoured "The Best Friend" by Susanna Beard, and wow, it's a rollercoaster you won't want to get off. Buckle up for a fast-paced and gripping ride through trust, deception, and the shadows of friendship.

The descriptions in this novel are nothing short of atmospheric genius. Beard paints a vivid picture of every scene, making it feel like you're right there in the midst of the suspense. The characters are not just characters; they are living, breathing entities with layers of complexity that kept me guessing till the very end.

Now, let's talk about the plot. The tension builds from the first page, and I couldn't turn them fast enough. The dynamics between the characters, the underlying sense of unease, and the plot twists – oh, the plot twists! Beard weaves a narrative that's both unpredictable and addictively compelling.

As an avid mystery thriller fan, this book did not disappoint. The topics touched upon, from loyalty to the shadows that lurk within friendships, add an extra layer of intrigue. The events unfold like a well-choreographed dance of deception, leaving you breathless and craving more.

Now, onto dislikes – and honestly, there's not much to say here. Some might find the pace relentless, but for a thriller aficionado like me, that's a huge plus. The tension is the driving force, and Beard knows how to keep it taut.

In conclusion, this book deserves every bit of its five-star rating.

Gillian Flynn, T.M. Logan, B.A. Paris fans, you're in for a treat. Susanna Beard has crafted a psychological thriller that's as unputdownable as they come.

I received this book from NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

This was an easy quick read. Lots of suspense built up and made me want to see what actually happened in the end. Talk about perfect timing, I was just in contact with an ex-best friend from the past and this book may have given me nightmares of what this random interaction would bring. haha. Overall, I enjoyed the book and made me realize the reason why some doors to the past should be kept closed.

This book gave me the same vibes as the movie the gift of how creepy someone can be when they become to obessed and you always say yes to them

A fun little thriller about the company your significant other keeps. How do you deal with their friend you can't stand? What secrets about your significant other do you not know? How far are you willing to let them drag you down before you take action?

Very accessible, fun popcorn thriller!

It had been many years since Jason and Alice have seen or heard from Jason's childhood friend Carl, One night Carl shows up out of the blue needing somewhere to sleep and eventually asks Jason for money to help him out of the financial mess he has gotten himself in to. Carl borrowed a large sum of money from thugs and his life is now in danger as he has no means to pay back the money he was loaned. Jason and Alice both get tangled in Carl's mess after Carl gives his attackers Jason's name and makes him an accomplice in Carl's efforts to scrape together the money. Soon the whole family becomes involved and Carl's lies and refusal to take responsibility for his actions starts to impact everyone Jason and Alice care for. They hope to come up with the money before it is too late and someone loses their life.

At first I struggled to get into this story. While Jason and Alice are written to be good, upstanding people, I never grew attached to either of their characters. They were sort of bland overall. Carl was a well developed character and lived up to every definition of a deadbeat friend. The storyline itself took a while to get into as the character development and build up of the plot was a slow burn. About 40% of the way through the book, I started to find myself flipping through the pages faster to find out what would happen next. It became very engaging as each character was trying to figure out how to outwit the thugs who were trying to attack them. While I figured out the plot about halfway through I still enjoyed the storyline. It was exciting, albeit predictable. I like how the story ended; however, I would have loved to see a follow through on what happens to Carl after the police interview. He was such a despicable character I imagine the author left it up to the reader to imagine what happens to him in the end. This was a solid 4 star read for me. I did enjoy the book, but it will not be one that stays with me for a long time or one I think about over and over and recommend to my friends.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I really didn't feel like this was a thriller until about halfway through. I felt like some of it was a little far fetched. But I would definitely try another book by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this early release. This is my first Susanna Beard novel and I did enjoy it.

Right from the start I was hooked and did not want to put this down. I loved the short chapters, making this read a breeze to get through. Right from the beginning we jump right into the suspense and it didn't slow, which made this a engaging story.

I did find myself getting annoyed with Jason. He was a nice guy but he was such a push over. When we find out the incident that makes him so loyal to Carl, I was a bit disappointed. I didn't think it required such a payback that Jason needed to do everything he did for Carl. Carl was definitely a mooch and overall not a very good person.

An old friend with his challenges pushes the friendship to far this time. A fast paced book that has you cringing at some decisions in a good way! I enjoyed this read and recommend all Susanna's books.

This was good and creepy but I also disliked the protagonists a bit. They were just a little whiny. That's fine though.
I hate that they ended up having to deal with this grown man's dangerous mistakes, but that is how a good story happens.

This book was easy to read, with little cliffhangers that made me want to keep reading! I kept trying to put it down to go to bed, and instead found myself saying ‘just one more chapter’ over and over. I’m sure it helped that the chapters were so short, but I really enjoyed this one! Thank you for this quick, fun read!

This was a fast paced thriller and had a different plot twist than I was expecting. The chapters were shorter which helped me fly through them! With this being my first book by Susanna Beard, I was excited to see what her thriller style was! I can’t wait to read more!

This was a strange read in that the plot was different but it worked. What I loved best was the short chapters, really addictive as I just kept reading and then I realised it was late at night and I had finished. So it took me away from everything which is a sign of a good book.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

What would you do if an old friend used “you owe me” to get you to go along with a bad idea? Would you do it? An entertaining yet suspenseful story that had me wanting to put aside life duties to read more. I recommend this book to my fellow thriller/suspense story readers.

This is my first Susanna Beard book and I will definitely keep a look out for more. This book flowed very well with fast paced chapters. It’s easy to get lost in this book and read well into the night! Alice and Jason definitely made some questionable decisions throughout the book that made you want to shake them lol. I wish they would held out more or had a little bit more of a back bone but overall I enjoyed this book!! Thank you netgalley for this arc.

Wow! What a suspenseful read!

This is a fast paced thriller and really has you thinking about friendship and how far you would go for a "friend" and what stakes you would take to let them go!

This book had me on the edge of my seat and I needed to know what was going on at all times! I however, wasn't really a fan of the plot points that took place - but it was still a fast paced read!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy