This is my second book I have read by David Bell. The first one was Somebody’s Daughter which was fantastic and like being on a runaway train till you get to the end. The Request was fantastic also. From the moment I picked up this book, I had to keep on reading it till the end. Ryan, a good person, married and has a child. Life looks great to all from people looking in. But Ryan has a secret which makes him make poor choices. But the thrust of the book is when his old friend from college asks him to go to this women’s house to retrieve letters that he shared with her regarding Ryan’s secret. He is now marrying Sam, who they have had an on and off relationship. During this period he had a relationship with this women who knows Ryan’s secret. Ryan finally agrees to go there but when he gets there she is dead and there are no letters there. From that point on, the twists and turns keep coming and just when you think you have all the answers more twists and turns right up till the end. I don’t want to continue my review because I do not want to give away any spoilers. I received this book from net galley and Berkley Publishing as an ARC for an honest review. Thank you net galley and Berkley Publishing for this ARC. I highly recommend this book if you like to be kept on the edge of your seat waiting till the major twist is revealed.

Wow!! Author David Bell really did know how to spin the perfect lives on Instagram and Facebook into the crux of the story. The book was gripping and action filled, where the story would dip and dive into a different twist in every chapter. Quite enthralling.

Ryan had it all, perfect wife and kid and a good job. He was a do-gooder too who helped a family that had lost its daughters to a road accident. But were things really so nice and true? A request, you could call it a threat too, from his best friend to steal his letters from his ex's home started the entire story rolling.

My second book by this author, and man, was I hooked into Ryan's life. Each character was shaded, their life eclipsed at different moments in the book. With the writing showing me the multi facets, I was quite thrilled to suspect all of them if nefarious deeds. I was disappointed when some proved to be good. I so love a book where all are wicked.

Fast paced in its speed, the writing kept the pitch right. I couldn't seem to let go of my kindle. Wanting to know the truth became my greatest obsession. I liked how an innocuous friend request could cast a dread in Ryan's life.

Wholly entertaining, the book marked the beginning of my reading weekend.

Always love David Bell books, and this is no exception.
When Ryan reluctantly agrees to do something for old friend Blake, he has no idea the repercussions. A dead body leaves Ryan scrambling to clear his name, and find out who the killer is, but is it too close to home?

Ryan Francis has a full and happy life - a wife he adores, an infant son he can't wait to get home to, a good job, and a bar he opened with friends. As big social media fans, Ryan and his wife Amanda, post a lot of pictures to share their happiness with others. They think nothing of it, it's a common thing, just part of their day really, a log of their lives.

But some of those others begin to think Ryan has too much and come after him asking him for "favors" that he can't refuse. When not one, but two people begin to blackmail him with threats of exposing a secret from his college days that could change his marriage and take away his freedom, Ryan's happy life becomes one of chaos, danger, fear, betrayal and retribution. He's kept secrets from Amanda and when she finds out, she's not happy about it. Not at all. But Amanda's been keeping secrets of her own that also puts them at risk. If they can get out of this with their lives, will their marriage survive?

The author plays with Ryan like a cat plays with a mouse as he ratchets up the suspense and the danger. Ryan's fear is palpable. He could lose everything. He struggles throughout the book to do the right thing, but it becomes very hard to know what the right thing is.

David Bell has written another excellent book which grabs readers right from the start and keeps them engrossed throughout. I have come to be on the lookout for new books he writes as I know I'll enjoy an entertaining and thrilling read.

My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for allowing me to read a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Ryan seems to be an average guy. He has a good job, is a partner in a bar, has a wife and a son. However, he also has a blackmailer. He has a secret that only a few people know. When he was in college, a car accident in which he was a drunk driver killed a young girl and seriously injured her sister. However, his friend, Blake, staged it so that Aaron was driving. Ryan and Blake have been keeping this secret since then. Even Ryan's wife has no idea. The blackmailer is the girls' other sister, Dawn. She wants money, even though Ryan has been leaving money in their mailbox as often as he can because of his guilt.
Then, Blake calls. He needs Ryan to break into an old girlfriend's house to steal some letters that he wrote in which reveal he had an affair, but where he bared his soul about the car accident. Blake tells Ryan they both have something to lose if these letters are shared with anyone else. Ryan will face prison time. Ryan reluctantly agrees to help. When he arrives, the girl is dead. The letters are gone. And, he gets a Facebook friend request from the dead girl right at that moment. Then he hears sirens.
What follows is a huge pile of twists and turns as Ryan tried to figure out why he's being framed for this murder. He has no idea who he can really trust. There is so much going on in this great book.

Ryan holds a dark secret, one that his friend knows. So when his friend requests for him to help him out he agrees to keep his secret. He arrives to discover a women dead, a women he knows, and when he then receives a friend request on Facebook he knows something is wrong. He is now fleeing the police with no plan and no idea what he is going to do.

Will he find a way to prove his innocence or not?

Another great mystery by David Bell! I love the fast pace and interesting characters. Had me hooked from the beginning!

Thank you for the chance to read this book - thank you Net Galley!
I am a fan of David Bell’s books - and this did not disappoint. Quick paced
And kept me on the edge of my seat! The main character made some dumb
Moves, but that is what makes Bella’s book!!

The ending had me guessing to the very end!! Another thrill ride from Bell!! I love a book that sometimes you just can't stand the characters and this was one! I wanted to throttle them! Another fantastic book and storyline!!

With friends like these who needs enemies?

Eh….so i’m pretty mixed and torn about my feelings towards this book and how I want to rate it. I think 3 stars seems to be a fair rating, because while this wasn’t the worst thriller i’ve ever read, it did fall pretty flat for me. The ideas and ingredients were all there for the makings of a really entertaining and engrossing thriller novel, but unfortunately, it just didn’t quite deliver.

I actually started seeing this book being advertised on Instagram several times, and then I kept coming across ADs for it on my Facebook, and the cover instantly caught my eye (very visually appealing cover! Cover love indeed) and then once I looked up the synopsis, I was immediately intrigued and I just felt like this book was calling to me, demanding to be read. I immediately looked to see if it was up for request on Netgalley, and instantly requested it when I saw it was there. As soon as I was approved I squealed with excitement (Thank you Berkley!) and immediately dove into the book.

But alas, sadly, I feel like the synopsis for this book was more exciting and intriguing than the book its self.

First of all, I feel like it took way too long for it to actually get interested. Sure, there was some initial intrigue in the very beginning, as we learn that the main character, Ryan, has been giving money to a family that he caused much grief to, in secret, as a way to assuage his guilt. One of the daughters from the family that he is giving money to figures it out, and decides to blackmail him in to giving her money specifically for her own personal interests and gives him a deadline for when she wants the money by. But after that, things are pretty uninteresting for several chapters. It actually took until around chapter eight or nine for things to get slightly more interesting again. It was really at chapter 12 that things actually finally pick up and the excitement really begins.

After learning about the first blackmailer at the very beginning of the story, we slowly start getting into the next plot point, which is, Ryan’s “best” friend, Blake, blackmailing him into doing something for him, or else he will reveal Ryan’s secret, aka what he has done to the family that has caused tragedy to fall upon them, and what Ryan’s role really was in said tragedy, as someone else actually took the fall for it and ended up doing jail time. Some best friend huh? With friends like those, who needs enemies am I right? Blake knows about this secret and Ryan’s true role in it, because it took place during their college days, and Blake was also there when it happened and played a role in it too, but not as as devastating as Ryan’s part in it was. Again, some friend huh? And a supposedly best friend at that! During these chapters, I feel like there was way too much info dump, and unnecessary parts that could have been taken out of the book without any of it being missed. It just really dragged during the first several chapters. I didn’t even care really about the backstory between Ryan and Blake, and flashing back to their college days, as I just wanted to finally get to the part where Blake blackmails Ryan, and tells him what he wants him to do for him. I believe part of the reason that we are given a bit of backstory in the beginning, is perhaps the author’s way of showing us that shady Blake, aka Ryan’s supposed best friend, used to be a nice guy and was there for Ryan during some tough things and times in his life, and wasn’t always a slimy blackmailer. But I for one wasn’t buying it, because I never liked or ended up warming up to or trusting Blake, and just didn’t understand how Ryan considered him a best friend at all. I feel he was always slimy inside, and no amount of backstory was going to change my opinion on him.

Around chapter 12, is when things finally pick up. Now to me, 12 chapters is 12 chapters too many to really get the plot kicked up and going.

We have learned that Blake is engaged to an on again/off again girlfriend, finally turned fiancé, but he fears his fiancé learning about the girl he was seeing during a time when they were broken up. Further complicating matters, Blake reveals that he had written this ex-girlfriend letters while they were dating, and there are many things in those letters that he had revealed to her, such as the secret that he is currently blackmailing Ryan with. Because of the fact that they had broken up, Blake claims that the ex is not taking the break up well, and fears that she will show or do something to spill the things he revealed to her in those letters. He demands that Ryan break into her house that very same night, as he knows her routine and so she won’t be home after 10 o’clock pm, and retrieve the letters back from her. Ryan finally agrees, feeling that he he has little choice than to do what his “best” friend is telling him to do, or else risk his entire reputation, business, and family if his secret comes out.

Once we finally get 12 is when things get suspenseful and exciting, as this is the chapter than Ryan breaks into the woman’s house, and quite a few intriguing, and even creepy things take place, making the plot really kick into gear, and making me want to know what was going to happen next. I don’t want to go into too much detail as not to ruin the surprise of what’s going to happen for future readers. But one thing I will say, as its already said in the synopsis anyway, is that two chillings things happen to Ryan as he’s in the woman’s house, looking for Blake’s letters. One: upon entering the woman’s bedroom, he discovers her dead. Two: almost immediately after finding her body, he receives a friend request on Facebook from the dead woman’s account, making him think that someone must be watching him while he’s in the house, and is the one that sent the friend request. Now that part gave me chills, I have to admit. And thats when the questions start: who killed the woman? Is it the same person sending the request? Is blake the killer? And are there things that he didn’t reveal to Ryan about what is really going on? Is Blake, or someone else entirely, setting Ryan up to take the fall for her murder? How do all the pieces of the puzzle forming fit into place?

For a little while, at least, things are pretty intriguing, as after Ryan leaves the house, the web of mystery and intrigue begins to grow, and several exciting things take place, but then things just fall flat the longer the book went on for.

I didn’t really care about any of these characters or what happened to them and why, if i’m being honest. None of them were really that likable to me, and that’s one of the things that caused me to begin to lose interest and grow bored with what was going on.

The pacing of the book also just didn’t work for me, as it would be slow, pick up, then slow down again, making it very hard for me to get fully invested and make me interested in what was going on at all times in the story.

The final reveal was also a little overrated and unrealistic, and so, also fell flat for me.

Overall, I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either. The exciting plot was there in theory, but just didn’t work the way it was written, IMO. There was just a lot of promise without actually ever really getting the deliver. Some parts were so exciting, only to fall flat again and again. This book dragged too much at too many points for me to really ever get into it, and so unfortunately, I was just disappointed.

Now despite my feelings towards this book, I would still definitely consider reading another book by this author, as I have seen reviews where people who have read his other books, loved those books but found this one to be lacking. So I am interested to check out some of the author’s other works, and see how they compare to this read.

Some readers really loved this one, and perhaps you will too, but it just wasn’t the thriller for me, and I just found it to be okay overall.

Still, so many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for gifting me with an early copy! As I really did feel this book calling to me. Perhaps I am meant to read some of David Bell’s other works even though I didn’t love this one.

Not really sure whether I would recommend this one or not, as not only are my feelings mixed about it, but its clear that others’ are too. Maybe a recommend for all of David Bell’s hardcore fans? Maybe you’ll find that this book works for you if you are one of those diehard fans!

This is a page turner! I was completely invested in this mystery and totally perplexed. However- I couldn’t stand the characters! They did the stupidest things and I just could not get on board with them. It didn’t feel authentic or relatable. I wanted to shake the main character multiple times! With that being said, I couldn’t put this one down. The author throws curveballs right up until the very end. I enjoyed the twists and the fast paced nature of the book. 3.5 ⭐️ My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for the chance to review this galley prior to publication. Please refer to my goodreads profile for a full review.

Oh my goodness, this was a terrific read that I really enjoyed. I am always on the look out for thrillers that quickly grabs my attention from the very first page, with characters that seem to get in deeper trouble, and of course with some twists to keep you guessing and those adrenaline pumping.

David Bell delivered another amazing thriller in The Request. Ryan Francis is guilt ridden and trying to make things right with a family involved in a car accident that Ryan was a part of where one of the daughters died, and another left disabled. He anonymously leaves an envelope with money for the family every month. He is happily married and with a son, has a bar he is a partner of and life seems to be doing okay until it spirals out of control. His friend Blake asks for a favor, the request, which is simple enough until he gets framed for murder.

Bell wrote a real fast paced thriller that was entertaining and addicting. I thought the writing was superb and had me guessing and talking loudly to some of the characters. I was really immersed in this engrossing and relevant read about the power of social media and the way it seeps through our lives. I love a great thriller that I can binge read with protagonists that are in impossible situations.

I encourage you to pick this up for an enthralling and binge worthy read worth staying up for.

The Request by David Bell is a fast-paced read that kept me guessing until the very end. I am relatively new to the writing of Mr Bell, but this novel has certainly whet my appetite for more. This one is easily digestible, although I did feel my ability to fully engage with the storyline lag somewhat once or twice. Overall though, the narrative will propel you through with your interest firmly intact.

Ryan has a secret that he has kept buried for years. It is a secret that his wife, Amanda, and newborn son, Henry, need never know about. That is, until his college buddy Blake resurfaces, and makes a request of Ryan that will be all but impossible to refuse if he is to keep his perfectly structured life from imploding. Just how far will one man go to keep the past well and truly buried?

This was a compelling read that, for the most part, kept me fully engaged. I am anxious to read more from this author, whose writing style is pleasantly fluid and easily enjoyed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC,

Ryan has every thing going for him and everything is perfect. But is it really? He seems that way but really he is involved in one girl’s death and other girl’s disability. Is paying them enough to correct what he is done. He will soon find out when he runs into issues with Blake, the one that was involved with the same accident as Ryan. Will the truth finally come out?
It's slow in the beginning but worth getting through. David Bell is never a disappointment.Thank you David Bell, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Everyone wants something from Ryan.

One wants money, one wants his time, and the worst request is from his friend, Blake.

After he is forced into following through on the request, things became even worse.

We follow Ryan as he avoids the police and looks for Blake who is no where to be found and as Ryan tries to find the person who murdered a friend of Blake's.

Many bizarre things happen, lies come to the surface, and Ryan's family is in danger. What hold could Blake have had over Ryan to keep him under his thumb.

I wanted to tell Ryan to wake up and stop listening to Blake.

Tension abounds from the opening page and doesn’t stop until you turn the last page. You can just feel something sinister is going on from the start.

Mr. Bell knows how to keep up your blood pressure and keep you turning the pages.

THE REQUEST is a thriller fan's smorgasbord.

Mr. Bell included everything you need to keep you on the edge of your seat, keep you up late, and keep you guessing incorrectly. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

WOW! David Bell, Author of "The Request" has written an intense, captivating, riveting, enthralling, and suspenseful novel. The genres for this novel are a mystery, suspense, thriller, and fiction. The timeline for this story is in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The author describes his dramatic characters as complex, and complicated. There are a number of characters that could be suspect in crimes. There are lies, betrayals, secrets, danger, blackmail, and murder.

I love the way that David Bell tells a story and vividly captures the descriptions of the characters, events, and the landscape. There are always twists and turns. There is always some part of the story that states, "What If..............", which can be so thought-provoking. I appreciate that the author describes how the use of various media can cause a misleading representation of the lifestyle and facts of one's life and can cause complications. Also discussed are problems such as alcoholism and gaslighting.

If you look at Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pictures of Ryan Francis, and his wife and baby, you would think he has everything. You wouldn't see or know the terrible guilt from a tragedy that Ryan carries from his college years. It's not until his college friend Blake confronts Ryan with a "special request" in such a persuasive manner, that Ryan becomes anxious and has a foreboding feeling.

Blake makes Ryan an offer that he can't refuse, and Ryan finds himself going to a woman's house to retrieve incriminating letters. Ryan doesn't find the letters but does find the body of the dead woman.  As Ryan hears police sirens in the near distance, his phone rings, with a Facebook request to be friends with the deceased woman.

I would highly recommend this edgy, chilling thriller for readers who love to escape in a great book.

Ryan’s old friend has a request. He needs him to do something that is illegal. Ryan has no choice because his friend has information from their past that could destroy Ryan if it becomes public. Ryans attempt to help his friend put him in the middle of a police investigation, he has to try to solve the case to keep himself out of jail. There are a lot of twists and a few surprises in this book. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Fast paced thriller with great characters and unexpected twists. One of those books where you keep wanting the characters to make better choices throughout the whole book but some good twists at the end. Strongly recommended

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ryan is happily married with a young son and a good job. Everything is great, until his old college friend Blake wants him to break into a woman's house because she has incriminating info about an drunk driving accident in which they were both involved in college. When he gets to the woman's house, she is dead and he gets a facebook friend request from her just as he finds her. He then needs to figure out who murdered her since he is likely to be a suspect.

3.5 stars

I've read a number of books from this author. "Somebody I Used to Know" was by far the best, but this was one of the better ones. I think this author excels at coming up with intriguing story lines. They are reminiscent of Harlan Coben and Linwood Barclay's concepts of the normal everyday guy getting wrapped up in all kinds of trouble. This was a good book with just enough characters to not know who was guilty and still keep everyone straight. I did think this predictable in places and it took too long to get to those reveals, but at the end I was pretty surprised by who was guilty. I think this book was a little long in places, but overall a good read. I will likely read his next one.