Mary, who’s recently left her controlling husband, makes a new friend at the playground. Alex, Mary’s 2-year-old son, whines that he’s hungry, and the beautiful young mother sitting next to them on the bench offers up a bag of potato chips. This is Willa, and at this vulnerable moment in Mary’s life, she’s thrilled to connect with someone. Willa is so attentive and engaging. After leaving her husband, Mary has been struggling to build a new life. Her relationship with fun, irreverent Willa is the one bright spot in her drearier new existence. Willa is the best thing to happen to Mary. When Willa disappears suddenly, Mary feels there is no reason to stay in Brooklyn. She moves upstate with Alex as there is nothing left for her in Brooklyn, She is eager to start over., but has a shock when she bumps into someone near her new home who looks exactly like Willa. However but the woman insists her name is Annie. Mary decides to find information about Willa that she could never have imagined about her. What did Mary find out?

The novel has a fast-paced, plot that manages to poke fun at millennial parenting. . The author’s writing of building suspense kept me guessing what would happen next. The story ends with a surprising twist.

Engaging, fast-paced thriller with short chapters. It has alternating timelines and point of views. The story centers around Mary who is recently separated from her wealthy, controlling husband. She is trying to make a new life for her and her toddler son. She meets Willa. They become fast friends. Willa suddenly disappears. Months later, Mary runds into Willa. Willa claims not to know her at all and says she is someone else. What is going on? Then George is killed. What is happening?

Maybe there is a theme for 2025. Much like the novel Rosarita that I reviewed, do you ever truly know anyone? It was thought provoking and made me rehash so many people I’ve known that have been different than my perception of them or what I was taught about them. Terrifying.

Willa is an ostensibly morally gray character that I found strangely relatable and was rooted for… Of course, I side with and worried for Mary the entire time, at least when I wasn’t suspicious of her. What a fun ride!

I thought this was turning into a single white female thriller for approximately the first half of this novel. While I ultimately solved the mystery, I do feel like it was spoon fed to me slowly. I saw another review calling is a “popcorn thriller”, which is a perfect description of this book. Clearly, I loved it. Eat the rich, just not the character Rich… not advocating for cannibalism.

Leah Konen’s Keep Your Friends Close is the literary equivalent of a social media friendship request: enticing, a little suspicious, and ultimately full of drama. With a plot that weaves through betrayal, secrets, and a friendship gone horribly wrong, it’s an addictive thriller, though not without its moments that’ll make you raise an eyebrow.

The story follows the relationship between best friends, Emily and Tatum—one is seemingly the picture of success, while the other is... well, a bit of a hot mess. But as is the case with many friendships, things aren't always what they seem. When a tragic accident shakes their lives, the veneer of their perfect bond starts to crack, revealing deeper, darker secrets. The twists are swift and sharp, keeping you guessing as to who’s truly trustworthy. Hint: it’s probably not the one you think.

Konen’s writing style is slick, and she does a great job building tension with short chapters and alternating perspectives. It’s a book that pulls you in without overwhelming you with too many subplots. The pacing is pretty spot-on, keeping the suspense bubbling while providing enough character development to actually care about the stakes. That said, some of the plot twists feel a little... well, extra—like the author was channeling her inner soap opera creator just to make sure you’re still paying attention. It doesn’t necessarily take away from the fun, but it might make you roll your eyes in disbelief every now and then.

Emily, the protagonist, is a relatable, flawed character you’ll both root for and shake your head at. Her vulnerability adds an interesting layer to the mystery. But let’s not forget Tatum—the sort of friend we all hope we don’t have. You know, the one who’s a little too perfect, a little too charming, and a little too good at hiding a knife behind their smile. She's a walking red flag disguised as a best friend.

In the end, Keep Your Friends Close is a thrilling exploration of the complicated terrain of friendship and trust, with enough suspense to keep you on your toes. It’s a great pick for fans of psychological thrillers that balance character drama with juicy, page-turning twists. Just don't be surprised if it leaves you questioning your own friendships by the final page. After all, who needs enemies when you’ve got a friend like this?

I feel like this was a fun popcorn thriller that is a domestic thriller!
Thinking she met the man the wealthy George, she marries him and they have an adorable son. Now Mary is fighting to divorce her powerful husband and trying to keep custody of her two years old son. Mary makes a new friend, Willa, at the local playground, she helps her through her tough times with the divorce. During a margarita-fueled moms’ night out, though, Mary shares her darkest secret about her ex, George. But soon things take a dark turn when Mary discovers that Willa is not who she seems to be. Willa disappears and leaves Mary with more questions than answers. Fast forward it’s now two months later, Mary’s divorce is almost finalized, and she’s trying to build a new life for her son in upstate New York. On her first day in town, she runs into Willa…only Willa’s name is Annie now, and she’s got an entirely new family . When George turns up dead and Mary becomes the prime suspect, she has no choice but to turn to her only friend in Willa. But will
It be her biggest mistake yet??

Keep Your Friends Close by Leah Konen is a mix of Strangers on a Train and A Simple Favor. If your problem disappears, do you question it? How about that nagging feeling like you owe someone.... Deception runs deep in this story and it will having you at the edge of your seat.

***Thank you Netgalley for the E- arc in exchange for an honest review.***


This story is about Mary who after leaving her wealthy and controlling husband George,is trying to build a new life for herself and her toddler. So when Mary meets a new mom at the playground she feels less lonely and excited to have a new friend. So after a few too many margaritas one girls' night, she accidentally spills secrets. The next day, her new friend, Willa, ghosts her. Unsure of who she can trust, heartbroken Mary randomly runs into her old friend in the most unlikely of places and learns that Willa has a secrets she’s been hiding all along. When Mary’s estranged husband ends up dead, her trust and friendship will be put to the ultimate test. There are twists and turns I didn't see coming and just when I thought it was all figured out something else comes along. First book from this author and won't be the last.

Thank you Putnam and NetGalley for the e-ARC of the book.

Mary is trying to build a new life as almost divorced mom in upstate New York when she runs into her ex friend Willa who goes now by a different name. As their friendship ended up abruptly after Mary shared a secret with Willa, Mary wants to figure out why she was ignored all that time. When Mary’s husband turns up dead in Mary’s new apartment she seeks Willa’s help as she is the only one she knows in this town.

It was hard to put down this book for me, I needed to know what was going on. I was tricked (in a nice way) several times and I keep guessing until very end.

This book was impossible to put down! Leah Konen expertly created tension in her writing with a slow-burn plot that leaves no stone unturned. Focusing on themes of motherhood, friendship, and toxic relationships, the story unfolds from different perspectives and timelines. The twists in this book are expertly crafted, and highly unpredictable. I highly recommend this book for any domestic or psychological thriller fan!

This was a decent thriller! It was nothing new or original, but a good read! I enjoyed the plot and characters.

I just finished reading Keep Your Friends Close by Leah Konen, and I'm so excited to share my thoughts with you!

This book is a gripping psychological thriller that had me hooked from the very first page. It delves into the complexities of friendships and the dark secrets that can lurk beneath the surface. Konen's writing is sharp, compelling, and filled with suspense.

One of the standout moments for me is when the protagonist, Liana, discovers a hidden letter in her best friend’s house that hints at a dark past. The tension is palpable as she reads the letter, her heart racing with every word. This discovery sets off a chain of events that makes you question everyone’s motives and keeps you guessing until the very end.

Konen masterfully weaves a story that’s both chilling and thought-provoking. The characters are well-developed, each with their own secrets and flaws, making the twists and turns all the more surprising. The dynamic between Liana and her friends is particularly intriguing, as their trust and loyalty are put to the test in the most dramatic ways.

If you're a fan of psychological thrillers that explore the darker side of human nature, Keep Your Friends Close is a must-read. It's a rollercoaster of emotions and suspense that you won't be able to put down.

I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. The suspense was excellent. It really had me on the edge of my seat until the end. One of my favorites and recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense.

A decent thriller.

I apologize - I read this about eight months ago, and did not keep good notes, but I did enjoy it.

Four stars. Recommended.

This was such a fun domestic thriller to read! Told in alternating POV, and at times timeline, we find Mary. Going through a divorce from her wealthy husband, she is trying to start over with her son Alex. Until she meets a super friendly mom, Willa. Willa is everything Mary isn’t, she’s easy going and confident. A quick and strong bond is formed only Willa disappears as quickly as she entered Mary’s life. Later on, Mary sees Willa again, only this time she goes by Annie and insists she’s never met Mary. Willa, or Annie, isn’t at all what she seems and her end goal always aims to place her on top. With the murder of Mary’s husband, you won’t be able to tell who’s to blame until the very end!

I was introduced to Leah Konen through a NetGalley ARC of Keep Your Friends Close. This domestic thriller offers an engaging, albeit somewhat predictable, narrative that kept me entertained but didn't fully captivate me. Mary, embroiled in a messy custody battle with her wealthy ex-husband George, is desperate for a friend. She meets Willa at a Brooklyn playground, and their connection feels fated. However, after a night out where Mary shares her darkest secret, Willa disappears. Two months later, Mary relocates to upstate New York and runs into Willa, now going by Annie with a new family. When George is found dead and Mary becomes the prime suspect, she must uncover the truth about Willa before losing everything. The story is set between Brooklyn and Woodstock, New York. The contrast between the bustling city life and the quieter, more insular upstate town adds depth to the narrative, highlighting Mary's transition from her old life to her new one. As the protagonist, Mary is portrayed as a sympathetic yet flawed character. Her desperation for companionship and stability is palpable, making her a relatable figure. However, her naivety and sometimes erratic decisions can be frustrating. Willa is an enigmatic character whose true intentions remain ambiguous for much of the story. Her transformation into Annie adds layers to her persona, though some aspects of her character could have been explored more deeply. Overall, Keep Your Friends Close is a solid read for fans of domestic thrillers. While it has its share of twists and turns, some plot points felt a bit contrived, and the character development could have been more nuanced. Nonetheless, it's an enjoyable book that keeps you guessing until the end. #netgalley #keepyourfriendsclose

Keep your friends close and enemies closer. What would you do when you cannot draw the line in between those two? Who is a friend, who is a foe, who is a foe looking like a friend? Mary was exactly in that position with a divorce and custody battle banging on her door.

Sometimes you meet a person and think that you found the friend in them that you had been looking for so long. That instant click makes you feel all warm and fuzzy and happy. However, that reaaaallly instant click can be a red flag you should not ignore because what is the probably of you meeting someone with exact interests, and understanding. I personally would think that someone did some homework. Mary was so much in need of a friend that she totally skipped that red flag.

With multiple twists and hate for 1%, it is a page turner that will make you scream at Mary to get her back her senses. You might want to reconsider your friendships as well.

I thought this would be a fun, unique thriller but I was wrong.

The premise is unique: a con revolving around the mental load that women so often shoulder is not one I've read before. And Willa is a great character. I wish she was fleshed out a bit more because she was much more compelling than Mary.

This is more mystery than thriller. The constant mini-cliffhangers, the web of lies, the dual timelines -- they could've worked to build tension quite nicely. Unfortunately they killed the tension instead. There wasn't anything thrilling about this. It's convoluted and the unreliable Willa had me questioning things but I wasn't surprised by the reveals. I kept wanting the story to go in directions I knew it wouldn't.

It was fine. It's readable and has its moments but there are many other books I'd recommend before this one.

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>

"Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who are kind to the needy honor Him."
—Proverbs 14:31

꧁༺ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓵𝓾𝓭𝓮 ༻꧂

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃.

𝐓he woman, already a nervous wreck, enters the too-quiet home in pursuit of peace. It was all she ever wanted. Peace. A friendly greeting was to be the olive branch. Mutual respect. She had waited for so long on this day. Her voice, the one ignored for years, would finally be heard. And she was ready, ready to make amends. The paint, blood-red in hue, was the first thing she saw upon entering the home. She initially thought it was paint as the house was undergoing a renovation. It was everywhere, the "red paint." Smeared on the hardwood floors and some of the walls. She called his name, but there was no answer. As she ventured further into each room of the house, at last coming to the opening of the deluxe kitchen, she realized that the "red paint" wasn't paint at all but blood. And there he lay—drowned in a pool of it.

His gaping head wound betrayed his manner of death, and his gray eyes stared, unseeing. On the wall above his corpse—and in his blood—were the bitterly vindictive words spelled out: 𝘋𝘐𝘌 𝘙𝘐𝘊𝘏 𝘗𝘐𝘎

From there on, a detailed recounting of events will reveal how our leading lady's life became a puzzling maze of deception, envy, adultery, greed, hatred, lies, covetousness, idolatry, and eventual murder.

Dear reader? Shall we meet Mary Haywood?

꧁༺ 𝓜𝓪𝓻𝔂 ༻꧂

Our starring lead, Mary Haywood, is a journalist who has been out of the loop of her profession for far too long and seeks to rekindle her passion for reporting. As the curtains open to showcase the fictional play in action, Mary is seated at the bar of an eatery in the wealthy New York State town of Woodstock, chatting with a nosy bartender and pondering over her next residence and a new daycare facility for her (nearly) two-year-old toddler, Alex. The divorce from her husband and the child's father, George, has thus far proven messy and vitriolic. And Mary is under a great deal of stress. George Haywood is playing games with his and Mary's child custody arrangements, using his immense wealth and the extended tentacles of his powerful family's connections to crush his soon-to-be ex-wife. But because she loves her little boy, Mary is determined to fight it out in court, although she fears her strenuous efforts will come to naught.

Of course, Mary was hesitant when George—heir to the Haywood real estate empire—offered her a rent-free property to live in with Alex in Woodstock while the soon-to-be exes worked out their parting arrangements, but for the sake of keeping the peace, she agreed. Mary is ready to move on with her life – as she should be. Her marriage to George Haywood, although privileged, was hellish at times. And a new start, hopefully with some nice alimony, is just what Mary needs. That, and a career refreshment.

Mary thinks about all this when she spots her from the window inside the bar. Her hair is a different color, but it's her. She's with a different man—and child—but it's her. Mary could spot that statuesque height, lithe body, and that perfect face from a million miles away. It's her. Willa.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘴 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢—𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴—𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘞𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘬? Mary wonders.

꧁༺ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓕𝓲𝓻𝓼𝓽 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓰𝓮 (𝓟𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓣𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓮) ༻꧂

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃.

Mary Haywood is nothing if not a doting mother to her toddler son, Alex. And this had been obvious to the other well-heeled moms who watched over their little ones as the tots wore themselves out on a fun-filled day at that playground one year ago. That was the day Mary met her. She had been at the play area—in the sandbox—with a little boy she called Jack Junior. The woman was bold and self-confident, attributes Mary picked up on immediately. And she was pretty, the perceptively carefree woman was. She appeared so sweet, and she dared anyone to judge her for feeding her kid, not healthy options such as fresh-cut veggies and fruit but Lay's potato chips.
Her style was impeccable, as was her hair. And her nails and teeth were showstopping. The woman didn't look like she belonged in a kiddie park with the other (average) frumpy-and-lumpy mommies. No, she was a stand-out among all of them.

She had a toddler, too, but who could tell? Her body revealed no extra fat or loose skin, and her eyes defied the dark circles and puffiness that stemmed from a lack of sleep. Mary inhaled the woman's image and then exhaled her (own) self-loathing before the stranger—wearing an elegant sapphire necklace that accentuated her blue eyes perfectly, no less—finally spoke. Her name was Willa. No surprise there. With a name like Willa, she had to be a beauty – at least outwardly.
Willa initiated the conversation, and before long, she and Mary were chatting it up like lifelong friends. The two women bonded further as their tots played, and as fate would have it, Mary and Willa exchanged numbers and agreed to meet up (again) for lunch and drinks.

Mary Haywood might be breaking up with great wealth, but this woman, Willa, is still on the right arm of money—and she shows her new best friend, Mary, a good time all over (the gentrified) Brooklyn. At Willa's expense, the two new friends head out to Lincoln Center to enjoy a performance of 𝘓𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘩è𝘮𝘦, followed by a nightcap at an upscale spot for more salty margaritas. Willa not only holds her (hard) liquor well, but she is also extremely curious, querying the tipsy—and needy—Mary about nearly every aspect of her life. At the same time, Willa reveals very little about herself – on purpose. Her job is to worm her way into Mary's good graces. And with time, she does just that.

꧁༺ 𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓪 ༻꧂

Spawned from humble beginnings, where the only aroma she ever wore was the stench of poverty, Willa, née Charlotte Anne Williams, now revels in the material wealth and monetary riches hard-earned by others, particularly men. Nevertheless, her mindset is low-class and a vindictive reminder. Indeed, if it had a mouth with which to speak out loud, Willa's mindset would do so in a malicious tone of voice that would say to her, You may be all dolled up and dressed to the nines now, but you're STILL a poor, scraggly, hand-to-mouth urchin. And Willa would be damned if she proved it right.
Willa does, however, have an insatiable need to prove she's rich; therefore, she makes a show of flashing her American Express Black Card—or the Centurion, if you will—before the eyes of an emotionally grieved Mary to both impress her (with drinks, dinners, lunches, operas, and shopping trips) and win her over. So far, so good. It doesn't take Mary long to fall head over heels for her new best friend, Willa.

Take 𝘛𝘏𝘈𝘛, Cassandra! 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢. 𝘔𝘺, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯.

꧁༺ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓢𝓮𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓭 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓰𝓮 (𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓣𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓮) ༻꧂

𝓒𝓪𝓼𝓼𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓻𝓪

Mary is not the only former Mrs. Haywood to fall off. Cassandra, the ex-wife of Henry, Mary's former brother-in-law, is also a present-day train wreck, no thanks to her spiteful, malicious, vindictive, and ruthless ex-husband. An angry and desperate Cassandra, like her former ally and closest friend, Mary, is falling into the abyss of poverty now that she no longer has access to a life of ease and the best t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶s̶ stuff money—and lots of it—can buy. Cassandra and Mary were once close and thick as thieves, but now Cass acts like she hates Mary, blaming Mary for everything miserable in the world, including divorce. Cassandra, a ravishing beauty, was always content to be the trophy for the philandering Henry. Cassandra was always content to look the other way—so as not to make direct eye contact with abuses of both the physical and mental nature. Cassandra had a promising career once but left it all behind for Henry. And now the bastard wants to destroy her. He took everything she needed to start over, including her precious jewels. Cassandra would have let the money go if she could have only kept her jewels—

𝘖𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘫𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘴; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘺.

NO luxury jewel house was out of Cassandra's reach in her married-to-a-Haywood day. She had only the finest pieces ever created, pieces even the late Liz Taylor would have marveled at – violet eyes transitioning to a bright shade of Kelly green with envy. The magnificent jewels gifted to Cassandra boasted fineries from the houses of Bvlgari, Harry Winston, Tiffany & Co., Chopard, Van Cleef & Arpels, and the numero uno of them all, the Charles Jacqueau designed Panthère de Cartier, a breathtaking diamond-and-gold bracelet produced by the Maison of Cartier.

Over five hundred thousand dollars in retail was the value of Cassandra's jewels. And just ONE piece would have set her up nicely on the path to a new life post-Henry Haywood. But he had to take it away from her—that nasty, vindictive, hateful, malicious bastard!

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰.

꧁༺ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓻𝓭 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓰𝓮 (𝓟𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓣𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓮) ༻꧂

F̶R̶I̶E̶N̶D̶S̶ 𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐅𝐈𝐓𝐒.

𝓜𝓪𝓻𝔂, 𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓪, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓖𝓮𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮

Mary can't stop thinking about Cassandra. The two women, who both hailed from impoverished families, married the wealthy and powerful Haywood brothers—George and Henry—and lived like royalty before their individual lives came crashing down. Now Cassandra is lost with nowhere to go and no money to get there, and Mary is only hanging on because of her and her soon-to-be ex-husband's only child, Alex. Here, the chubby-cheeked toddler, the pride of Mary's life, has become a tool, a weapon of sorts, for manipulation—to be used (against his mother) by not only the child's father but also his hostile grandparents and Uncle Henry.

George Haywood is just as brutal and baleful as his sibling Henry—although he pretends to be more passive—and nothing more than a control freak, a masochistic sadist, an arrogant prick, and an adulterer. Yes, a lying, filthy adulterer who eagerly ran over Mary's abdominal stretch marks and limp, stretched-out breasts—the result of breastfeeding Alex—to get to that tight, firm, youthful, curvy, and supple body belonging to Mary's so-called new best friend, Willa.

Willa has been sleeping with Mary's husband in Mary's bed, sweating and discharging genital fluids on Mary's thousand-thread-count sheets, feeding Mary's toddler Cheerios, and then eating and wiping her mouth and saying to herself, 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨. However, her (guilty) conscience begs to differ.
Regardless, Willa is on a mission. She's thinking about her future—because, after all, Jack Senior might say one day, "Get the hell out!" and then where will she be?
Survival trumped any emotional feelings of guilt when Willa chose to follow her gut instincts. Knowledge is power. And Willa picked Mary's liquor-impaired brain bare to obtain as much of it as possible. It took a while, but Mary soon revealed details about Cassandra's treasured jewels: 𝘎𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮'𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦... The intoxicated, bitter, and heartbroken Mary had finally confided.

Once she got the information she wanted, Willa was willing to risk her setup with cash cow Jack Senior and his spoiled mini-me, Jack Junior, by embarking on a dangerous affair with George Haywood to get her hands on the extraordinary wealth. Willa was also willing to do whatever it took to defend her dear Mary's remaining honor—as Willa's motto is this: "I'm the sort of person who would do 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 for my friends."

But would the spirit of hatred—she secretly harbors towards the rich—instruct her to commit 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳?

꧁༺ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓕𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓽𝓱 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓰𝓮 (𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓣𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓮) ༻꧂

𝓖𝓮𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓗𝓮𝓷𝓻𝔂

In 1986, (the legendary) Billy Joel sang a musical tale about the "Modern Woman," in which Bill informed the male subject of the tune that the chic woman of the man's dreams, who had her "own money," was not "another honey" a man like the subject could "quickly disarm," thereby an independent woman who earned her keep and had no need to become dependent on the economic means of any man.
Indeed, financial independence has its advantages, and it is for this reason that controlling and abusive men like George and Henry Haywood have a preference for women, who, before (luckily) being courted by them, lived from hand to mouth in a rat race society, where the poor and working-class far outnumber the wealthy. The Haywood clan—New York's top real estate oligarchs—love to lord it over others. They love to do evil and then laugh in the faces of those they hurt: for the one who is to be taken captive, into captivity he shall go; and he who kills with the sword, in the same manner, will be destroyed. Unfortunately, proud, worldly people like the Haywoods don't think this way; they shun, spurn, and ignore sound wisdom and understanding. They maltreat and oppress – until they run into individuals worse than themselves.

Here, one of them will be met by another filled up with a blood-lustful vengeance – and deceased in a coppery-scented pool of cold blood will he lay.

𝘈 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘦.

꧁༺ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓢𝓱𝓸𝔀𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓷 ༻꧂

𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐓 N̶O̶T̶ 𝐊𝐈𝐋𝐋.

The Haywoods are a family of privileged people who love to bring pain and suffering to those who already have it hard enough in life. They're the sort of people who know and believe that they can get away with anything, anything at all. They could destroy the career of one who rubbed them the wrong way or cause poverty to befall another by bulldozing that person's financial house off its foundation. Hell, the Haywoods could even take someone's children away from them and dare that same someone to try challenging the spiteful move in any court of law. They are like eels on dry land, the Haywoods. And a certain someone hates them. A certain someone hates that wicked, godless, arrogant family—with only the most fierce passion; hence, the individual thinks, contemplating just how they will go for the kill. The person measures their time, and in the privacy of their mind, the individual plans the perfect murder of a Haywood heir. And no one would ever suspect them because no one knows they exist.

You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But here, one individual will kill—in an unrelenting and unrepentant fit of white-hot rage.

Indeed, it will all come to a head with the crushing of a skull.

꧁༺ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓫𝓵𝓮𝓭 (𝓢𝓾𝓹𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰) 𝓔𝓷𝓼𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓵𝓮 ༻꧂

Dear reader, a scandalous and vile script calls for an ensemble of scandalously vile characters. Such are those supporting and bit players who round out a well-performed cast on the pages of this mean-spirited—and morally offensive—tale. Joining our starring leads are none other than the following:

• Frank and Ruth Haywood are twin demons and the narcissistic parents of George and Henry. Ruth, the loudly aggressive one, and Frank, the quietly aggressive one, work as a unit to tear the soul of another to pieces without sympathy or empathy—as their nature is carnal, debased. But then again, wouldn't it take two monsters to raise two monsters?

• Jack Senior is the father of the toddler Jack Junior and the scorned former lover of the much younger Willa. A rich, handsome, and tanned silver fox, Jack Senior feigns anger and humiliation well, but is he a kind, older gentleman worthy of consolation, or is he a remarkable master of deceit?

• Rich is Willa's monotonous new lover and the father of a little girl named Poppy—another child for whom Willa will act as a makeshift mother. Rich, the wealthy owner of a beautiful farmhouse in Woodstock, seemingly means well, but on these pages, if he were software, he'd be bloatware.

• Detective Morales is the woman investigating the George Haywood murder case. And she is convinced she has the right suspect—until all the players start running rings around her, muddying up the linoleum floors of her headquarters.

꧁༺ 𝓜𝔂 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 ༻꧂

A storyline set in New York, from Brooklyn to Woodstock to Old Forge, 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 is a genuinely entertaining read. Leah Konen, obviously inspired by the great Agatha Christie, does a fantastic job weaving her plot and developing her characters—some lovable, others repulsive—on these pages while folding in a healthy helping of mystery and intrigue and boggling the reader's mind with one unpredictable twist after another. And although the story, told over three parts, became slackened somewhat near the conclusion, making me wonder if it would ever end, Konen, to her credit, compensated for the shortcoming with a solid, action-packed—and at times emotional—chronicle.

𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 touches on a generous deal of feminism and will undoubtedly hit a home run with the "girl power" set but might offend several others. Added, if the reader holds an eat-the-rich-because-life-is-a-bitch philosophy, this narrative is sure to prove quite satisfying. Leah Konen is a very talented writer; her effort here reveals that much. But near the end, I yawned once or twice—or thrice—and that was not a good thing. I was rooting for Konen to pick up the pace, and the author did just that: she caught her breath and got back in it, and her tale's minor blemishes, only a few on an otherwise lovely canvas, were forgiven. Yes, the plot taking a slow and draggy turn did induce fatigue in me, but Konen quickly refreshed its energy, guiding it to the finish line with grace, and for that, her narrative is worthy of an extra point.

To the mystery thriller enthusiast, 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 is a forceful effort that I would recommend, and highly so, as I am sure the same will enjoy its "whodunit" premise. And because I find Leah Konen's writing style rather pleasing, I look forward to reading her 2022 release, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘌𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦, which I have a new copy of in my library of print books. For now, though, 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 was admirably hard-won with me. The tale fought like hell. And it won.

Five wealth-corroding stars.


𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖𝐄𝐑’𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam / G.P. Putnam Sons—in association with NetGalley—for the complimentary copy of 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 for my reading pleasure.

Analysis of 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 by Leah Konen is courtesy of Literary Criticism by Cat Ellington for The Arts©.

Keep Your Friends Close by Leah Konen opens with two moms, Mary and Willa, on the playground with their sons in New York City. They become fast friends after a snarky mom makes a comment about the junk food given as a snack. Suddenly, Willa ghosts Mary for apparently no reason, but while in Woodstock, Mary spots Willa and tries to speak with her. Why is Willa pretending to be someone else?

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for free in exchange for my honest review. I was intrigued by the synopsis and was thrilled when I found out I was receiving Keep Your Friends Close. Unfortunately, life got in the way, and I got behind in reading and reviewing the book.

The story started off a bit slow but the suspense ended building very nicely. The novel alternated between Mary and Willa as well as had alternating timelines. Because it was told from different perspectives, the reader gets a bit of insight that they wouldn't if it wasn't told this way, and it would be harder to figure out the twists and turns. However, the alternating timelines kept me guessing a little, and things weren't always what they seemed. I did figure out part of the ending but not all of it.

At times, I didn't care for Mary for a couple of reasons. There were times she seemed wishy-washy and other times seemed too needy. Overall, I did enjoy this character. As for Willa, I never really trusted her, but I really wanted to like her and had trouble with that. I'm not going into details as I don't want to give any plotlines away, but I think you'll agree with me. George and Henry were completely unlikable. I think that George could have changed if given the chance, but I think Henry was a lost cause.

All in all, I enjoyed Keep Your Friends Close by Leah Konen and gave it five out of five stars. I look forward to reading more novels by this author as I find myself thinking about this story days after finishing it.

Perfect book for fans of domestic suspense. Konen's set-ups and pay-offs are earned and satisfying. A quick, fun, enjoyable read.