The Good Friend

This debut novel by Jo Baldwin is an excellent thriller based in the south of France where Jenny goes to stay with her previously best friend from 8 years ago Kath and her husband Tom who just so happens to be Jenny's ex boyfriend.The reason they have been apart for so long is because Jenny moved to Australia to further her career to become a gold medal swimmer,and at long last they are reunited and everything is just as it was all those years ago.Best friends forever !! But after a while Jenny starts to see a new side to Kath and it's one she doesn't like especially when she finds out the truth about what happened 8 years ago.This is a great book and if Jo Baldwin's future books are as good as this one i for one will be reading more from her.An excellent 5 star read.

Jenny and Kath were best friends from childhood until Jenny emigrated to Australia to pursue her swimming career and they only kept in touch intermittently. Kath had moved to France, had married Tom (Jenny’s ex-boyfriend) and they had a daughter together, Rosa. 8 years have past and wanting to get away from the pressures of swimming, Jenny decides to take a break and goes to France to visit Kath & Tom. Oh wow, how little things are brought to the fold, friendships are tested, lies are unravelled, what a psychological thriller and what an ending. I won’t say any more for fear of ruining it, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Many thanks to Netgalley and RedDoor Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Oh wow. Put some time away for this book. It has all the ingredients for a terrific psychological thriller.

No spoilers from me. Book is great with lots of lies, deception, tragedy, and twists. Also, loved the unpredictable ending. Can't say enough great about this. Read it today!!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this fabulous book.

Fantastic to read!

The story is gripping and full of tense moments. Twists and turns await every page! I really enjoyed reading this a lot and can highly recommend it.

what an amazing book. Loved it from beginning to end
I loved the authors style of writing and will be looking for other books by this author.
I would recommend this book to friends and family

A strong recommendation to read this book. The book built a good sense of tension and mystery throughout. I enjoyed the setting in France and I could imagine myself there, which is always a good sign! Loved the ending too. Good writing style and distinct character portrayal.

Once upon a time they were best friends. So when Jenny moved to Australia to focus on her swimming career, she not only lost Kath, but her soul-mate Tom. It was for the best. Or so they said. Now, eight years later, Jenny seeks out her childhood friend and heads to rural France where Kath has settled.

At first, the women fall back into a close relationship, but before long strange and malicious behaviour leads Jenny to realise the truth: that Kath has played a clever game all along to manipulate and control those around her. And Jenny is her biggest victim.

A solid five star psychological thriller about obsession and friendship. I was pulled in by the characters and their back stories. The writing style is excellent for this kind of story, there's no extra fluff or unnecessary info, just an all around great book!

Thank you #NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of #TheGoodFriend
Pub Date: 07 Feb 2019

The Good Friend By author Jo Baldwin is an intense thriller about friendship and jealousy. The plot is thick and keeps you wanting more, from the beginning it pulls you in and will have you until the very end.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy of The Good Friend in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, there was plenty going on the setting was interesting,and I didn't think the characters were all that they seemed.The story was not that complicated but the relationships both now and in the past certainly were.I did like the main character, and I was keen to find out what was going to happen, I couldn't predict how this would pan out.No spoilers , but there was certainly more to the book than I expected, and I thought it was great.The ending had me page turning like a woman possessed ,and I am usually pretty spot on at working out what is going on, but not this time.Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for an ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Red Door Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.
I believe that this book should be categorized as a psychological thriller instead of a woman's fiction because then the blurb would not be so misleading to the potential reader.
This story makes us all aware that we should never shy away from anyone who is close to us that is battling mental illness. We cannot ignore them because they need our help. They are constantly crying out for help. Don't ignore the signs. We as family and close friends know these people better than anyone else.
Jenny is finding that out about Kath. She seen signs years ago but just wrote it off as teenage stuff. Now years later everyone is still making excuses for Kaths behavior.
She is semi decent providing that she is taking her medication but who is monitoring the number of times she is taking her medicine? Only Kath.. She is in charge of her meds!! Not good at all.

Publisher’s Description: “Heavenly Creatures” meets “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” in this exciting debut novel about friendship, love and jealousy. Once upon a time they were best friends. So when Jenny moved to Australia to focus on her swimming career, she not only lost Kath, but her soul-mate Tom. It was for the best. Or so they said. Now, eight years later, Jenny seeks out her childhood friend and heads to rural France where Kath has settled. At first, the women fall back into a close relationship, but before long strange and malicious behavior leads Jenny to realize the truth: that Kath has played a clever game all along to manipulate and control those around her. And Jenny is her biggest victim. Set against the glorious backdrop of the Languedoc lavender fields, “The Good Friend” is a beautifully written psychological drama about love, lies and a dangerous obsession. Because once the truth is revealed, there’s no going back.

I would propose that “The Good Friend” by Jo Baldwin is definitely a psychological drama as opposed to a mystery or thriller. There’s nothing mysterious or thrilling here. We all know who’s pulling the strings because the description tells us a lot about the story. You won’t find a lot of twists and turns. The draw for this one is more in how the events play out and the reveals along the way. It’s just the slow-building tale of Jenny working her way through a summer in France with Kath and Tom.

What will it take for Jenny to discover that she was Kath’s biggest victim? Will Jenny and Tom be able to find their way back to one another? Who will suffer the most as Jenny tries to reconnect with her past?

What kept me reading was that I wanted the answers to those questions, and the story was well-written enough, dropping tempting tidbits along the way, to keep me going. The only reason I knocked this down to 4 stars instead of 5 is that I felt the very end of the book (and I mean literally the last page) went a tiny bit too far. Without giving anything away, I will say only this. It could have easily ended when she finds the box.

Pick this one up.

Thanks to NetGalley and RedDoor Publishing for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review. This title is scheduled for release on February 7, 2019.

Wow! This is a brilliantly written book and I couldn't wait another day to see the end. I didn't leave 5 stars because I am peeved out about a couple of things .Other than a few flaws,The Good Friend is a fascinating psychological thriller that I would highly recommend to anyone.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Excellent book! Loved the characters and it was a great storyline. I would highly recommend this book.

Surprisingly riveting! I love books told from
multi perspectives that do a good job of getting the reader to “know” multiple characters! The author did a great job in regards to the “flow” of the book but I was slightly disappointed in the ending. It wrapped up just a hair too neatly. Overall, I would recommend this book for readers looking for something lighter than “Gone Girl” but still intriguing!

A wonderful story with excellent character development plus a shocking ending. Didn't see that one coming. I loved it. Great writing style also

A gripping story about friendship and betrayal, The Good Friend is the kind of thriller that you’d like with you on a long trip or a lazy weekend. It’s well written, with a cast of intriguing characters, and a dreamlike setting in the south of France amid sunny vineyards. There is a hint of something ominous just under the surface, simmering at first, then slowly revealing itself. Apart from conversations sounding a bit stilted, this is a really good book.
(Review copy from NetGalley)

Jenny is on her way to visit her best friend Kath that is currently married to her high school sweetheart that she was so in love with. This story was a little twisted, I didn't understand how Jenny was so nice and seemed ok with Kath. As the story progress we are seeing more and more the dark side of Kath and how she manipulated everyone around her. The ending of this book had me at the edge of my seat.

Whilst a little slow at times, this book is well written with characters you can really invest in. There are a few twists which you can see coming as the clues are easy to pick up on. Having said that, this is a good book which keeps you interested until the end. An close childhood friendship is pulled apart as the girls grow up and go their separate ways. But is it just a simple case of life moving on, or is there some deception involved and manipulation to suit the wants and needs of one of the girls? Add jealousy, a man both girls have had a relationship with (one is still married to him) and move on 8 years. Is life as simple and happy as everyone is making out, or will the lies, deception and manipulation unravel....? Set in a beautiful part of France, it is hard not to get lost in the simple life of the locals, however as relationships are tested, rekindled and broken it is far easier to get lost in the book.

If only she knew what kind of friend I really am!

THE GOOD FRIEND is the debut thriller by Jo Baldwin - however, I would use the term "thriller" loosely as it's not an edge-of-your-seat or a fast paced read. The tagline reads "Heavenly Creatures meets The Hand That Rocks the Cradle in this exciting debut novel about friendship, love and jealousy." I haven't seen "Heavenly Creatures" but I do remember "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle" and it does have an element of that style to it.

It is a different style of story and several times throughout I debated about whether I could finish the book as it was really slow moving to get going. I mean, there are slow starts and there slooooow starts. However, despite my apprehension I'm glad I stuck with it because it was a reasonably good read, but not exceptional. But don't let that stop you - the ending was a twist that many won't see coming but I suspected. It's not normally an ending I like as I prefer everything tied up in a nice little package by the end of the story, but this left a few loose ends and that cliffhanger ending you see in season finales of some our favourite shows. But despite that, I thought it a fitting ending considering the story.

Jenny and Kath have been best friends since childhood. They grew up together, did everything together and were completely inseparable. But Jenny left to pursue a swimming career in Australia but her heart still yearned for home in the UK, and most of all, for her soul mate she left behind - Tom. So after 8 years away, feeling burnt out from constant competition and solid training sessions, Jenny decides to visit her childhood friend in France, where Kath now lives with her husband...Tom. The moment Jenny sees Tom the electricity is clearly felt between them, making the reunion somewhat uncomfortable. The couple now have a 5 year old daughter, Rosa, together and Jenny finds her absolutely delightful. I did find Rosa to be a little older beyond her years throughout the book which left me questioning if I misread her age. However, Rosa proves to be a salve to the pain of seeing Tom again and married to another, bringing constant joy to her days as she teaches Rosa to swim. But Tom remains aloof towards Jenny which leaves her wondering if he still feels the same about her.

At first, the women fall back into their close relationship of old, laughing and reminiscing over old memories, but before long things begin to feel amiss. Kath appears to have changed...or is it Jenny? And why is Tom so distant? It isn't long before Jenny begins to see cracks in Kath's picture perfect world, beginning with the tension between her friend and Tom as well as her own relationship with Kath. Tom hints towards her being mentally ill and on anti-depressants but then discovers Kath has stopped taking her medication. Then Kath's strange and malicious behaviour leaves Jenny questioning if she really knew her friend at all?

This is when the book starts to get interesting. The reader feels a sense of anticipation wondering what Kath is going to do next. One can almost see the glint in her eye whenever she is around.

When Jenny finally sees the truth about her friend she feels shocked, hurt and most all of all, betrayed. Kath has played a sinister game to manipulate and control everyone around her - and Jenny is her biggest victim.

The story's slow build creates tension and unease as the sinister tale of friendship, secrets, deception, jealousy and revenge gradually unravels with an ending that leaves you unsettled. It is brooding, it is malicious, it is ominous, it is sinister.

THE GOOD FRIEND is not your average thriller, but it is still a thriller of sorts. I wasn't sure I would enjoy it but in the end I did...even if I didn't really like the characters. I felt they didn't have a lot of depth and there was an awful lot of narration, which I am not a huge fan of. I could tell from early on that Kath had a few screws loose. Though no actual diagnosis was mentioned, to me she felt a little bipolar but more like borderline personality disorder. She was sociopathic. She felt no empathy or remorse. The world revolved around her, in her eyes, and she manipulated everyone for her own ends. She was completely unlikeable.

For me, the rating loser is the death of Pilot. Anyone who knows me, knows I cannot stand the death of a dog in a story - book or movie - and I even stopped reading one depressing story after one dog's cruel death. However, Pilot's death leaves you with questions also as to what happened and how it happened? And THE GOOD FRIEND certainly leaves you unsettled with many questions unanswered.

I wouldn't say THE GOOD FRIEND was brilliant, but then it also depends on your expectations. It is pitched as a thriller but I would say it was more of a psychological drama in the fact that it's Jenny who is facing the unknown, whereas we as the reader can plainly see that Kath is the problem. The reader doesn't have that edge-of-your-seat psychological thrill, and yet the story is incredibly psychological...just not in the thriller kind of way. That is why many are disappointed with the book - being pitched as a genre that can include many different "sub genres". A thriller that is not really a thriller, but it still fits under that genre being psychological. I guess we expected more of a thriller than it was.

I'd still recommend to give it a go. It isn't what you expect at first but you can still quite clearly see what's going on from early on...and that leaves you wondering just how it is all going to end. And while it is not normally my type of ending, it really is a good but unexpected ending - and completely unsettling.

I would like to thank #JoBaldwin, #NetGalley and #RedDoorPublishing for an ARC of #TheGoodFriend in exchange for an honest review.

Jenny is going home to the UK to visit her best friend, ex boyfriend and their daughter. After immigrating to Australia and winning several Olympic gold medals she's ready to hear how her bestie and boyfriend ended up married. Kath isn't the same while Tom still gives her butterflies.
While the plot wasn't original it was still a good book. Kath was a master manipulator. Her obsession with Jenny consumed her. Her husband nor daughter meant as much to Kath as Jenny did. I liked how close knit the community Kath and her family lived in. I think there should be a part two. I'd read it.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Jo Baldwin and the publisher for the ARC I received to honestly review.

Jenny and Kath have been friends for years. However, Jenny and her father moved from the UK to Australia about 8 years ago so Jenny could train for, and join, the Olympic swim team. With three gold medals and other accolades under her belt, Jenny wants to retire from that life. She takes a trip to visit Kath in France. Kath had married Jenny's first love,Tom, and Jenny still is not over him.

Kath and Tom have a sweet 5 year old daughter, Rosa, who takes to Jenny. There are sparks, mostly subtle, that remain between Tom and Jenny. Even the years apart have not doused the flame. Jenny has taken to France and the people she meets there. She stays much longer than planned - and that is where the suspense continues to build. Kath has a few psychological problems and has done a few things in the past and present that Jenny becomes highly suspicious of...

A true psychological suspense/thriller! A must read for 2019!

Many Thanks to RedDoor Publishing and NetGalley for a fine read!

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC of this entertaining debut. Having a few friends that have been with me since forever, this book was very relatable to myself. In this entertaining read Jenny and Kath have been BFF's forever, only separated by an ocean or two. When Jenny visit Kath in Australia she quickly realizes that her friend has changed. And not for the good. It was a good solid read, entertaining from the beginning to the very last intriguing end.
Recommended.

Jenny and Kath were once best friends. Life intervened and Jenny wound up in another country, following her swimming career. It's been 8 years and now Jenny is visiting Kath in France.

At first, everything goes really well. They catch up on all the news, but then secrets are exposed and Jenny realizes that the friendship they had wasn't what she thought it was.

This is a slow-moving tale of friendship, love, obsession and lies and secrets. It is not a thriller as such, but it did hold my interest from beginning to end. The characters are finely drawn and I really liked that the author spent time on the backstory of these two women.

Many thanks to the author / RedDoor Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological drama. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.