“Willa is the best friend Mary never had . . .

Appearing in Mary’s life in a moment of crisis – after divorcing her rich and powerful ex, George – Willa proves herself fun, charming and loyal.

Until the day she vanishes, leaving Mary more alone than ever.

Months later, Mary is looking to make a fresh start in a new town, when she runs into the last person she expects to see – Willa.

Except her former friend is going by a new name, with a new family in tow.

Hurt, confused and troubled, Mary doesn’t know what to think.

She knows she can’t trust Willa. But soon she’ll have a choice to make.

Because when George is found dead, Mary is quickly named the prime suspect in his murder.

And what her former friend knows will either exonerate her or convict her.

But is Willa on her side or not?
And does Mary have time to figure it out – before it’s too late?”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of Keep Your Friends Close by Leah Konen. Keep Your Friends Close was published by Penguin Michael Joseph on 14th March 2024 and is available in paperback and digital formats. I chose to read a free ARC of Keep Your Friends Close but that has in no way influenced my review. My grateful thanks to Emily at Penguin Michael Joseph for sending me a finished copy.

Newly separated new mum, Mary, can’t help but feel a little lonely. Her monied husband and his family have managed to drive a particularly large wedge between her and her best friend, sister-in-law Cassandra. However, one day at the park with her young son, she meets glamourous fellow mum Willa. It feels as though a weight has been lifted from Mary’s shoulders. The two quickly become firm friends. So much so, that one drunken night Mary confesses things about her husband that maybe she shouldn’t. The next day Mary contacts Willa to apologise for her drunken, inappropriate ramblings but receives no response. Willa seems to have vanished into thin air. Did Willa really react that badly to what Mary said that she no longer wants to be part of her life? It was always Mary’s intention to move away from Brooklyn to Woodstock, NY as part of the separation from her husband. So seeing someone who looks just like Willa, with a brand new family, on the streets of Woodstock comes as a shock. But the woman vehemently denies that she’s who Mary firmly believes she is. Hurt and betrayed Mary needs to decide how to handle the situation. Particularly when Mary’s husband is found dead, and Willa holds undeniable proof that Mary could be the one who killed him…

Keep Your Friends Close is a suspenseful, engaging read which I devoured in two sittings. This is the second book I’ve read by this author and what has become clear is that Konen really knows how to write female friendships, particularly the toxic kind. Mary is a little needy, a little insecure having made the difficult decision to leave her controlling, well-to-do husband. Having lost the one friend she could talk to (sister-in-law Cassandra) and with so much going on in her life, when Willa strikes up a conversation at the park, Mary can’t help but feel they’ve made a real connection. Willa is perfect. Perhaps too perfect. She’s younger than Mary, beautiful and well-dressed. She also speaks her mind when it comes to motherhood which Mary can’t help but find refreshing. So when Willa stops returning Mary’s calls, she’s heartbroken. She really believed in their friendship. Perhaps Willa was too perfect to be true after all….?

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. I thoroughly enjoyed Keep Your Friends Close from the moment I picked the book up. Konen’s writing style really pulls the reader into Mary’s world. You may not like the character (I struggled to, I found her a little too needy) but you will certainly feel for her as she tries to understand what is happening in Woodstock. Could Mary be the one who killed her husband? She certainly has the most to gain from his death and it puts an end to their ongoing, tortuous custody battle over little Alex. I thought Willa was an excellent character, beautifully drawn with lots of dark and mysterious edges. I was almost as smitten as Mary! The plot moves at a thoroughly engaging pace. There is always something happening to keep the reader turning the pages with lots of lovely twists and turns along the way. I really enjoyed Keep Your Friends Close and look forward to more from this author in the future. With female friendship at the core of the story, this well-written mystery was thoroughly entertaining from start to finish and brimming with lots of lovely suspense. All in all, a highly readable, well-paced, addictive psychological thriller that I devoured with glee. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free ARC of Keep Your Friends Close. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Keep Your Friends Close by Leah Konen was published in the UK by Penguin Michael Joseph on 14th March 2024 and is available in paperback and digital formats (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | Foyles | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Leah Konen is the author of Keep Your Friends Close, You Should Have Told Me, The Perfect Escape, All the Broken People, and several young adult novels, including Love and Other Train Wrecks and The Romantics. Her books have been featured in Vogue, Rolling Stone, Marie Claire, Reader’s Digest and The NY Post, among others. She lives in Brooklyn and Saugerties, New York, with her husband; their daughters, Eleanor and Mary Joyce; and their dog, Farley.