Title: Your Closest Friend
Author: Karen Perry
Publisher: Michael Joseph UK
[Synopsis]
Imagine sharing your darkest secret with a stranger – a girl who isn’t what she seems, and who will do anything to keep you close…
On a hot humid night in London, Cara Jameson’s busy, fulfilling life is interrupted with the sound of gunfire. Panic and terror grip the street as the air is filled with screaming and Cara is pulled roughly to safety by a stranger.
Taking refuge in a storeroom, Cara huddles with her savior – Amy – and in the darkness she shares more in those hours than ever has with even her husband. When she emerges hours later, a bond forged in the trauma of that night has formed between them.
Returning to work, Cara tries to put the experience behind her, but the incident has taken its toll and as cracks begin to show in her perfect life and marriage, Amy reappears, set on pursuing a friendship.
Cara wished she hadn’t shared everything she did in those hours of darkness. But as her life skids towards deepening violence, there is only one person she can turn to: Amy, her closest friend.
[My Review]
I am a huge Karen Perry fan, and Your Closest Friend is another brilliant read for me that ticks all the boxes – interesting characters, secrets, and mystery mixed with a real sense of atmosphere.
I liked that the beginning really left me wondering where the book was going to go – I had purposefully not read the synopsis again right before starting the book, so the sense of confusion and havoc surrounding the terrorist attack which takes place right at the start of the book really threw me! I wondered how this would all tie in – but everything soon kicks into action!
The story strikes just the right balance between believable relationships, such as Cara and Jeff’s, and the more ‘unusual’ bonds and ties that hold other characters together. Some characters I warmed to, others seem to be completely mad, but every page left me wanting to move onto the next. I liked that you know some aspects of what’s happening before Cara herself, as you read the novel from two perspectives: Cara’s and Amy’s – at times I wanted to shout out to Cara and warn her!
I never found myself getting bored; the pacing was just right and the way Karen Perry describes Cara’s thoughts and feelings felt very convincing. I love her writing and I am so pleased that Your Closest Friend is another hit for me!
I did not know the author, now I’m curious, great review!
I thought a lot of Your Closest Friend was boring, and the so called twist at the end was ludicrous.