I was so intrigued by the cover of this book, and the synopsis as well. This book as hard for me to get into first, and honestly, I almost considered DNFing it. It got to feeling super repetitive and I found myself skimming. I didn't connect to any of the characters. I loved the writing style, however. I will read more by this author in the future.

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

I enjoyed this book telling the stories from two different perspectives and I wanted to know how it played out. The writing was very well done and I just had to keep reading to find out what happened.

I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

This isn't my usual genre, and I have been in a reading rut lately, so I decided to give it a try. I was grabbed at the very start, it kept me reading and really surprised me. I was at the edge of my seat many times and lost track of time.
I will definitely be looking out more book from this author and in this genre also.

My Review:
Wow, wow, wow!!!!! Shocked and speechless are the first words that come to my mind when I’m done with this one. This book was so much more than what the blurb described. You think in your mind this book is going to be about one thing because of the description and then bam it turned out to be much more than you could ever imagine. I do want to warn you that if you are a very sensitive person then this one may not be for you. It dealt with a very hard topic and got graphic in certain spots. It was a harder read for me and I can just about read anything regardless of the subject matter. I don’t want to ruin any of this for you so I’m not going say too much more besides all that. Also, I would recommend a box of tissues by your side. I cried for almost all of the book. This author is not new to me. In fact, she is one of my favorites. I have read almost every book by her besides one and I have loved every single one of them. As I stated earlier I don’t want to give anything away so I’m going end my review now and tell you that I would definitely recommend this one. It was like no other book I ever have read. I loved it for so many reasons. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

In conclusion, the plot, the characters and all the twists in this book made this book an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

A powerful read, not least because of the plot. It's fascinating to see not just the perspective of survivors but also the other side - the family of the perpetrator.

Wow…so this book was much deeper than I was expecting!
Without giving too much away regarding the plot this book is hard to read and will give me something to think about for a long while!
I’m from Manchester and have first hand seen the terror and devastating aftermath of what this storyline delves into. Terrifying.
The storyline was super engaging and I couldn’t put this down. My only “issues” were with the French conversations scattered without which were (in my opinion) not properly explained. I found myself confused about what was being said which took me out of the story.
Very much enjoyed this.

A great psychological thriller.

I’ve read this author before and loved her books. I think the appeal is her beautiful writing and ease to read.

The characters have wonderfully been built and gave depth which create an enjoyable backstory to build the books plot upon.

Great book and I really enjoyed

This book packs a powerful punch. The tragic shooting of Laura's friends at the gig, and how Sandrine is impacted by what her son has done is compelling and moving to read. Jeffrey captures the grief and complexity of their reactions to tragedy perfectly, and I loved reading how they navigated their lives in the aftermath. I also loved how the timelines moved around, but made perfect sense throughout. It is a tricky subject matter to capture, but Jeffrey deals with it expertly and incredibly believably. A brilliant book.

It is the story of two women, Laura and Sandrine, their story before that fateful day that changed their lives and their story after that fateful day.
Usually the stories about tragedy victims are one sided, this story looks at the victims from the other side too, how they are still bound by the same questions: what I could have done differently so that it wouldn't have happened, what I'm doing now and the hardest question - "Why me?"
This is a very realistic story this day and age, a difficult story, but one that will definitely make you think.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

Omg omg omg .......... this book was amazing I could not put it down I read every word on the edge of my seat I loved the story line, i loved the way the story just kept us guessing all the way threw I loved all the twists and turns and would defiantly recommend this book it was so believable and kept the reader engaged I love it

3 Stars

This heartbreaking story centers around a terrorist attack during a concert. I found the story a bit hard to digest at times as the two main characters are working through their heart ache and trauma.

Overall, it was a really different twist on psychological suspense, personally, I was too much in my feels, trying to heal along with the characters. I started feeling better about half way through and enjoyed the characters' journey and the resilience of their spirit.

A special thank you to NetGalley, HQ, and Diane Jeffrey for providing me with an ARC.

sadly, before i could download this title, netgalley took it off their catalog. that means i can’t review this one. HOWEVER, i will be checking in with my library to see if i can get a copy and review it that way

The Silent Friend by Diane Jeffrey is a psychological thriller that is a heartbreaking and powerful story.
The story is told from Sandy and Laura's perspectives and it swaps between both women throughout. They have both suffered and had their lives turned upside down after a tragic event. Laura looks for help and she ends up in contact with Sandy. What Laura doesn't know is exactly how Sandy is connected to this tragedy. Will Sandy ever be able to tell her or will the truth damage their friendship?
A emotional and heartbreaking story with a set of really well developed characters that Diane Jeffrey has written so well. Along with the subject matter that is horrifying enough just to see or read on the news, never mind how people who are witnesses to the event feel.
The story is told over a timeline of a few months prior to the event moving on to the actual event and then after the event. This is a little different to a straight psychological thriller. This deals with the psychological impact for the women and how they deal with them, this is the main issue throughout the book. We are slowly drawn into their lives and before we know it we are truly immersed in this story and before we realise it things start to connect and leave us in shock!
A totally unique book with a plot that is not the norm. I found myself totally captivated by these two women and their experiences. In a way this story made me think even more about survivors and people linked to traumatic events. My friend and her daughter were at the Manchester Arena bombing as was my grandsons friend. My friend still suffers to this day and my grandsons friend died there, so I was really touched by this book and understood a lot.
This is a book people should read if only to gain insight. Diane Jeffrey has written a story that definitely needed telling.
Thanks to Damp Pebbles Blog Tours, HQ and Netgalley for the copy of the book

"We share the same biology, regardless of ideology
Believe me when I say to you
I hope the Russians love their children too"
Sting sang in an iconic song a few years ago.
And I believe that many of us, at every terrorist attack, wonder what horrors come from the young people, especially men, who carry them out and sacrifice their lives on the altar of a distorted ideal.
Diane Jeffrey's book is remarkable above all in this way: in showing that it is not the horror of a distorted family life that causes this, but the manipulation by those who have other interests, other goals, and exploit existential frailties (represented in the book by the fact that the very young terrorist is left by his girlfriend in what is supposed to be a traumatic way) for their own ends.
All the characters in this story are perfectly delineated and, apart from a slightly too sugary happy ending, it is very well constructed and believable.

This was a very interesting story overall . I liked some of the characters and the author had done a great job of depicting them in the exact light that they deserved to shine in.
However, there are many moments when I felt like it’s either forced or just too predictable for me.

I’m sure many people will enjoy it.
Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

The Silent Friend was a compelling story told from an interesting perspective that really made me stop and think. There were twists and turns around every corner, and overall an enjoyable journey. I found the characters to be relatable and realistic and I felt like I was right there with them in the thick of the plot.

I enjoyed this story which had elements of Don't Talk About Kevin, with the added humanity of a point-of-view from one of the victims of a terrorist attack.