My Best Friend’s Secret by Emily freud

It’s not often, I message a writer personally to say how much their book meant to me, but with this one—for very personal reasons—I did just that.

I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and devoured this book in two sittings. My Best Friend’s Secret explores female friendships and deals with the difficulty of being a young woman in this challenging world where beauty and success and ’having it all’ is so important. How do you have it all and keep it together? Is it paranoia making you believe your boyfriend is flirting with your best friend or vice versa? How do you stay on the straight and narrow if you have overcome an addiction when the easiest thing to do would be to relapse? How do you stop hanging on to the past and move forward?

There are lots of psychological thrillers on the market these days and finding a new angle for one, as a writer, must be very hard. However, My Best Friend’s Secret certainly is very different from the rest and it cleverly sets itself apart in terms of themes, prose, plot and its capacity to keep you gripped. This psychological thriller feels emotionally intelligent. It seems as if it was crafted with care and love before it was sent on its way. You cannot help but feel the author put her heart and soul into it and it certainly shows. The main theme of this book is written so sensitively and makes compelling—and at times—heartbreaking reading.

 Although the book does deal with difficult themes ( rejection, loss, addiction and jealousy), they are handled intelligently, whilst still ensuring the heart of the book isn’t lost. Although the story is simple, the plot and brilliant characterisation do not lack sparkle.The writer deals with addiction so effortlessly and convincingly which adds more texture and a more serious tone to the book. This is the very thing that gave it such gravitas for me. I loved this book and I am sure you will too. It’s a perfect summer read and a brave debut.

Pack some tissues.

I can highly recommend.