How well do you know someone else? How well do you want to?

Kit and Diane meet at a high school running camp, and the girls bring out the best in each other on the track. When Diane transfers to Kit's high school, the girls begin working together, pushing each other academically in search of a scholarship.

Finding solace in Kit and remembering a secret shared at running camp, Diane shares her own secret and the friendship ends.

Now adults, the woman find themselves in the same lab vying for a research position.

Megan Abbott does a nice job building the mystery and keeping the story moving, although I did find some of Kit's actions as an adult a little unbelievable.

All in all, this was a good story, well-written and a fun read.

After two long years, Megan Abbott is back with another excellent book in Give Me Your Hand. Lately, her books have focused on modern teenagers but this time the book focuses on the interactions of two women, partly when they are teenagers but mostly as current day professional scientists.

As teenagers, Diane Fleming is the smartest one in their school, but she and Katherine, “Kit” Owens are friends that push each other to be the best. They both compete for Valedictorian of the school and a special science-based college scholarship. However, Diane tells Kit a story that shocks and scares her so much she stops being friends with Diane. When Diane later shows up at the same lab where Kit works, Kit’s not sure what to do about what she knows about Diane, especially since they are again competing, this time for a special project led by Dr. Severin, the same woman who sponsored the college scholarship they both tried to get in high school. During some afterhours alcohol induced condition, she decides to confide in a co-worker, which she later regrets. When Diane finds out that Kit told someone, the tension increases to another level.

What I found the most interesting in this book is Megan Abbott’s ability to show the sides of three different women and how they deal with difficult situations. In Diane, you have a woman who is obviously not normal and acts in ways that most people would agree is wrong. However, it’s the actions of the other two women, Kit and Dr. Severin, that Megan makes you think about more. Are their actions appropriate? How would you act in the same situation? It’s the actions of these two women that still haunt me weeks after reading the book.

I did not know anything about Megan Abbott when I met her in 2008 at Bouchercon. Since her book Queenpin was up for an Anthony, I bought it and had it signed. She’s so nice in person and very impressive when she speaks on panels and her success has not changed her. I’ve since read all her books and she’s become one of my favorite authors.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown and Company for an ebook copy of this book in exchange for this honest review.

A psychological thriller about 2 friends who meet in high school and then again through work when they are in their 20’s.
Kit and Diane were best of friends when they met until Diane told Kit the most horrible secret about her.
When they meet again through work, the competition between them starts again and they find themselves in a dangerous game that might just destroy them both.

Megan Abbott's books are entertaining because of the at constant feeling of something more going on than you realize at the time. I love how things are revealed and how her characters are developed. Give Me Your Hand is no exception, in fact, I think it might be my favorite one yet. I love when I couldn't have predicted the next twist.

Meh. This book wasn't nearly as intriguing or fun to read as Megan Abbott's previous novels. In fact, I struggled to get through this one. The first half of the book is like wading through an endless morass of laboratory background and post-doc politics. By the time you get to something happening, you just don't care anymore.

I enjoyed the book as it rambled back and forth between the present and the past. You could see the character developing an unstable relationship with a high school friend. It had a very suspenseful ending. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers.

I can't decide how I feel about this book. I was engaged at the beginning but awards the middle I was so frustrated with the protagonist. Kit was supposed to be an extremely intelligent post-doc and yet she made poor decisions that undermined her intelligence. The last third of the book, though, was engaging and I found myself staying up late to complete it.

A thriller with a unique setting, this is the story of two high-school friends whose lives and secrets intersect again years after their troublesome parting. The imagery is clear, and the pace is fast, yet this story employs a number of coincidences that require a suspension of disbelief of the reader that may be hard to conjure. Will still happily recommend to Abbott fans, and voracious readers of this genre.

No one writes about female relationships like Megan Abbott. Admittedly, I was not initially as drawn to the world of these two female scientists as I have been to the worlds of Abbott's previous novels. However, it took only one chapter before any resistance gave way. Her writing alone is enough to make the novel worthwhile -- raw and edgy and lyrical all at once. But the plot proved to be twisty and delicious as well. And the whole story is underscored by a pervasive rumination on the science of femaleness, and what (if anything) biology has to do with female darkness and rage.

**Thank you to Little, Brown & Co., Netgalley, and Megan Abbott for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.**

How well do you know your friends? What are the ties that bind? What can pull two friends apart?

Kit Owens and Diane Fleming met when they are teenagers at camp. Then one day the Diane appears in Kit's chemistry class. Their friendship is sealed, and they soon become inseparable. Both girls become driven to do well not only in school but in life. Both are very intelligent, and both seem to have similar interests in science. Then one day, Diane shares a secret with Kit, a secret which changes their friendship forever. Kit shared a secret she had at camp, but it wasn't as big as Diane's secret. The teens drift apart and both go their separate ways.

As both were intelligent and had interests in the scientific field, they soon cross paths once again when they are both making names for themselves in their chosen fields. Diane is hired to work in the same lab as Kit and they learn that they are up for the same position working under a brilliant scientist whom they both idolize.

This both is told through "Now" and "Then" chapters filling in the gaps of their friendship. The reader finally learns the "secret" and the impact it has on the women's lives. At the same time the reader watches as those in the lab vie for the coveted position and things take a turn and yet again their lives are changed.

Part of this book takes place in a lab, but I did not feel that any of the scientific language or experiments got in the way of the story. It would be strange if the object of their study was not discussed as most of the characters were scientists. Yes, there is discussion about experiments being done on animals, so be warned! Some may not like these sections. For me this book was good not great. It was a fast read and well written but at the same time it failed to really "wow" me. I didn't really care for any of the characters, I didn't find anything to be too shocking or overly interesting. This is a book which I think had a lot of potential and it just fell a little flat for me. I still enjoyed it but was just missing that spark which would have made the book better for me personally.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have to start by saying I am a fan of Megan Abbott. Her books are always a guilty pleasure that I know I am going to stay up late reading. She has a great way of drawing the reader in and wanting to know more about her stories and characters. This one was no different. The prologue immediately makes you wonder what that one important thing is that they know about each other. It will keep you turning the pages til the very end!
3.5

Megan Abbott stories are always quite a ride. You think you know how you're supposed to feel, what you're supposed to think. Just when you think you have it all figured out, though, she flips the script.
Kit and Diane bring out the best, and worst, in each other. Unlikely friends since high school, they went their separate ways. But fate throws them back together. Kit knows something about Diane, and that something haunts her every thought. Diane is mysterious and smart, cunning and deceptive. And Kit can't seem to get away from her. This time around the stakes are much higher.
This story has it all. Murder, deceit, coverups, secrets, you name it. A bit rushed at the end to tie up loose ends, but still very good.

This book definitely required a bit of suspension of disbelief, but I did enjoy it a lot. Great character development, identifiable flawed characters, especially the narrator. If you've liked Abbot's other books, you'll enjoy this one too.

I’ve seen Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott on so many of my friends Goodreads lists. This tells me that people are hungry for tightly written thrillers with the ability to make you lose a sense of time. Sometimes I wish I could take a sick day and just clock out for the day and lie around, reading and drinking coffee while lounging on the couch with my dogs. Reading all day? That is a fantasy!

Kit Owens harbored only modest ambitions for herself when the mysterious Diane Fleming appeared in her high school chemistry class. But Diane’s academic brilliance lit a fire in Kit, and the two developed an unlikely friendship. Until Diane shared a secret that changed everything between them.

More than a decade later, Kit thinks she’s put Diane behind her forever and she’s begun to fulfill the scientific dreams Diane awakened in her. But the past comes roaring back when she discovers that Diane is her competition for a position both women covet, taking part in groundbreaking new research led by their idol. Soon enough, the two former friends find themselves locked in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse that threatens to destroy them both.

Megan Abbott is one of the authors whose books all book lovers anxiously await! As I’ve mentioned before, there are some writers who turn out amazing books almost every year and she is definitely one of them!

I love a good Megan Abbott thriller and hate that I read this in February instead of during the summer on a beach.
Diane and Kit meet in high school where they both compete in track. They quickly begin competing academically as they race to finish high school and win a prestigious scholarship to the state university. The story is told in alternating fashion - now vs. then. We see that they are brought back together in adulthood, but now competing for a grant in a lab where they both work. Lots of bad things happen that are reminiscent of high school.
This is creepy, in a Single White Female kind of way and for some reason, I kept imaging Diane as looking like Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct.
Megan Abbott never disappoints and this was a fun read that I finished in a day. Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Copy!

Give Me Your Hand was my first Megan Abbott book. I didn’t expect to like Give Me Your Hand as much as I did. I enjoyed the way the story was told – jumping between past and present. Abbott did an amazing job of bringing everything full circle in the last few pages leaving you satisfied.

Pleasantly surprised by Megan Abbott and plan on picking up some of her others soon (and you should, too!)

I’m always excited to read a new Megan Abbott book.....I’ve read them all!!!
This one did not disappoint!
This was a great story, great ending!!!
No surprise it’s on the best of 2018!!!!
Can’t wait for her next book!!!

Inspired by actual events, Megan Abbott's "Give Me Your Hand" is an entertaining and solidly-crafted thriller about friendship, professional ambition, and the cost of keeping a deadly secret.

Kit, a research scientist, worked her way from humble beginnings into a prestigious laboratory appoinment. New team member Diane is not only professional competition, but Kit's former high school lab partner and one-time close friend. Years ago, Diane shared a shocking secret that continues to haunt Kit. In the wake of Diane's reappearance, Kit is faced with new and dangerous consequences.

Nicely paced and engrossing, "Give Me Your Hand" is an enjoyable summer read worth sharing with a friend.

Thank you goes to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book before it releases in July. Megan Abbott is one of my favorite authors.

Kit Owens and Diane Fleming met in high school and ended up pursuing the same career track. Once Diane revealed her biggest secret Kit dropped the friendship. Fast forward to the peak of their career when they wind up working for the same scientist and trying out for the same key position.

I liked the unique setting of the laboratory and that females were the minority, yet the smartest of their colleagues. This captivating psychological thriller turned out to be a little dark for me, hence 4 stars. It really is 4.5 stars though. I almost guarantee you won’t predict any of the twists or turns the plot takes. Definitely put this on your to-read list. It’s a winner.

An in-your-head thriller, never knowing who to trust, especially the narrator. Well written and fast paced with just the right balance between flashbacks and the ongoing action.