3.5 stars. The novel centers on Mary, who is going through a divorce from super rich and powerful George, who is not letting her go easily. During this time, she makes a good friend named Willa but it turns out Willa has secrets of her own and disappears on Mary. Mary sees Willa again 2 months later, but Willa is now going by Annie. When George ends up dead and Mary is the prime suspect, she has no one else to turn to except Willa/Annie.

*Special thanks to NetGalley adn G.P. Putnam's Sons for this e-arc.*

This was an addicting, easy to read, quick little murder mystery-type thriller. I crushed it in just over a day. I will say, it got to be a *bit* much with all the plot twists near the end, and all of the seriously morally grey and unlikeable characters...but I still found this to be an enjoyable escape of a read.

Thanks to NetGalley for early access.

Keep your Friends Close
5 stars!

This is an action packed thriller filled with intrigue and murder!

Mary and Willa meet at a playground in Brooklyn, while their young kids play.
They strike up a fast friendship. Both women have wealthy spouses, but Mary has recently separated from her bossy husband.

While the story alternates between “Then” and “Now”, we ultimately learn that not all is what it appears to be!
We find both sincere female friendship along with deception and lies.

This was a fast reading book that I couldn’t put down, right up until the
epilogue!
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the ARC, in return for my honest review!

Thank you to netgalley and Putnam publisher for allowing me to read this book. I have read another of her books and was happy to read another from this author. This book was captivating me and kept me eager to read. The characters were ones that kept you guessing can you believe them or not. If you like a mystery book then this is the book for you.

I honestly thought I had this book figured out and I am happy I did not. The story had me hooked from the beginning. It was a quick and easy read. I am not a huge thriller reader but sometimes I dabble in it and this one was a good one to read!

This was such a fun, engaging thriller! I flew through it and really enjoyed the twists!
*
Quick synopsis: Mary is going through an ugly divorce and setting up a new life in upstate NY. She runs into a friend, Willa, who is now going by a new name and acts as though she doesn't know Mary. And then her soon-to-be ex-husband is murdered, and Mary is a suspect. But is Willa somehow connected to this?
*
This a great, solid thriller - I loved the alternating timelines, the alternating POVs. This kept me guessing and mixed things up right when I thought I knew where it was going. I loved Mary as a main character, I also really liked the theme of friendship, and how important that was (even when that went sideways.) The other thing that surprised me that I liked was that her mother-in-law was portrayed as a real person, and not a caricature, despite the divorce.
*
I think the only thing I didn't love was how this small group of people was so closely tied together, that felt a bit unrealistic. But that's only obvious at the end, and a minor thing.
*
@Leahkonen is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine, and this book was just what I hoped it would be ! Definitely recommend checking out!

If you're looking for a book that'll keep you guessing until the very end, then this is your book.

We start with Mary, who has chosen to leave her very wealthy husband due to the way he treats her in the home. Being a powerful man, he wants her back, and is set on making her life miserable until she comes back with her tail between her legs.

But then Mary meets Willa. The become fast friends, and Willa gives Mary the strength to push forward, no matter what her ex, George, threatens.

And then Willa disappears into thin air. The next time Mary sees her, she goes by Annie. And then next thing Mary knows, George is dead.

This book is TWISTY. I loved getting perspective not just into Mary's head, but also into Willa's. I thought I knew what was going to happen, and for a second I thought I was actually right. But then the twists hit again and I found myself every so slightly stunned.

I enjoyed this book so much, it was a really fun read that seemed to fly by. I'll definitely be looking for more from this author.

The premise of the story feels familiar to me somehow, like I might have read something similar before but can't put my finger on it

Regardless, it was a fun and twisty thriller that I very much enjoyed!

This book kept me hooked throughout, but it wasn’t the thriller I was expecting it to be. I’m always a fan of whodunnits and the ending did take me by surprise but I did feel like it was missing that big OMG moment. The characters were well written in the sense that you flip-flop so much on whether you’re rooting for them or wanting to shake them to their core. I absolutely love when characters are written that way in a thriller as I feel like it added to the drama and angst of trying to put all the puzzle pieces together. I did find that the three-part, dual timeline, dual POV got to be slightly confusing at times but not enough that I ever truly felt lost while reading. I enjoyed the short chapters since they really helped keep the book moving! Overall, a solid read that I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of domestic, psychological thrillers.

A clever whodunnit for a change that didn’t make me mad at anyone. Everyone is smart and they don’t do stupid things like in most books like this. So a special thanks to the author for not treating their readers like idiots. It’s a truly wonderful read although a bit too long.

This book sucked me in from the moment I started reading it. Mary is fighting for custody of her young two-year-old son. But it isn't like any normal custody battle. Her soon to be ex-husband, George, comes from a wealthy family. They have connections far and wide. George wants his family back together. Mary cannot go back to that life. She meets Willa, at the local playground. They hit it off from the start. Not only do their kids get along, but they also love each other's company. When Willa suddenly disappears. She completely ghosts Mary. But why is the question.

Mary decides to move out of the city and to the small town of Woodstock. She is ready to turn to a new chapter in her life. The strange thing, she sees Willa and she has a new family. Is Mary losing her mind? Not only that, but Mary discovers Georges body. This is a fun, twisty plot of who killed George. There are multiple points of view and a dual timeline that keeps you on your toes. Thank you to Leah Konen and G.P. Putnam's Son for this gifted book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Keep Your Friends Close by Leah Konen. This thriller kept me on my toes. This novel will be released on February 20, 2024.

Mary, a thirty-something separated mother of a two-year old, meets Willa, who she meets at a park while Willa is with 3-year old Jack Jr. Willa quickly becomes a close friend as Mary grapples with how difficult her wealthy husband is being about their separation and custody. After an intense friendship for a few months, Willa disappears. Mary is left lonely and reeling…

Mary moves to Woodstock, NY and the twists and turns compound. Mary runs into Willa, who is now with a different family and going by the name Annie.

Mary’s husband comes to Woodstock, and then Mary finds him dead, with her quickly becoming the key person of interest.

The plot captured my attention, and I loved how I didn’t figure out the murderer. This wasn’t a predictable thriller, which I really enjoyed.

Thank you to the author, GP Putnam’s Sons/Penguin, and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for my feedback.

What a wild ride this book took me on. When two moms, Mary and Willa strike up a seemingly harmless relationship at the playground nothing was on the forefront of Mary’s mind except friendship. Mary was already struggling in the midst of a custody/separation battle with her ex George and was separate for a confidante after losing her former closest friend Cassandra who was separated from her now ex brother-in-law Henry. Mary could not expect what would become of her relationship with Willa and the horrifying events that followed her. Overall a fast paced great read for Leah Konen.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars, actually.

Of a similarly themed book, I once wrote that it would be hard to find more dysfunctional, unlikable characters. Well, apparently it's not THAT hard.

Put another way, it took about a third of the way through the book for me to decide that it didn't matter whether any of these folks were friends or foes - I didn't want them anywhere around me, let alone held close. But that said, it was kind of fun to watch as Mary Haywood, a journalist-turned mom who's in the middle of a divorce from her needy, greedy, domineering husband George, tries to make a life in Brooklyn away from him with their young son, Alex. George, of course, isn't making things easy - and with a mother and sister too far away to help, Mary sure could use a friend. She finds one at a local park in Willa, an unmarried stepmom to a boy near Alex's age - and the connection was so immediate and strong that for way more than a New York minute I suspected they'd end up as a romantic couple.

But no; in fact, not long after they meet and seriously bond - and Mary reveals some dark thoughts about her hopefully soon-to-be ex - Willa disappears from the face of the earth; no return phone calls or texts and no park visits. Some friend, huh? But wait, there's more; not long after Mary relocates to a small town she hopes to call her new home, who to her wandering eyes should appear? You guessed it - Willa. Only now there's a complication; when Mary confronts her with the intent of learning why she was ghosted, Willa claims she's not Willa, but Annie - and she's never laid eyes on Mary before.

Mary's head was full of confusion and doubt before the encounter, but readers ain't seen nuthin' yet. Now, she's questioning her own sanity and why such a once-close friend would fail to respond. It gets worse; her husband George, who tracks her down with the intent of convincing her to return to him despite all the abuse he heaped upon her, shows up. And wonder of wonders, he's close to succeeding as Mary starts brain-waffling yet again (still). That is, until there's no more need; suddenly, George turns up dead. And now, Mary has a whole host of other issues to waffle over - like will his parents try to gain custody over their beloved grandson, or will George's nasty brother Henry try for retribution, or is Willa avoiding her because she's a murderer, or will the police, who she thinks think she's the killer, arrest her?

By now, my own head is starting to spin, so you can imagine that Mary's is whirling like a school playground merry-go-round at recess. The real happenings are eked out to readers as chapters shift perspectives and time frames from Willa to Mary - complete with little "surprises" that lead up to the big reveal (and a little bit beyond, which those who finish the book will understand). Overall, I'd call it a fun romp rather than a nail-biting journey with things working out in the end. For that, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

A fabulous whodunnit for the current times.
Keep your friends close is definitely a theme and definitely true in this book.
Do you know who your friends are? Are they truly who they say they are?
Loyalty, dishonesty, the cheats and the cheaters.. keep your eye on all of it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Easy and enjoyable but fairly predictable.


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Keep Your Friends Close brings some crazy drama to a story of motherhood and friendship, and I loved it!

Mary is in the middle of a divorce from her controlling ex when she meets Willa at the park. Willa seems young and carefree, and the two quickly bond over play dates and nights out. When Willa suddenly ghosts Mary after a couple months of friendship, Mary is disappointed and unsure what happened, but moves on with her life. Months later, Willa reappears in her life just as her ex is murdered, and Mary starts to wonder if Willa had something to do with it.

Konen’s previous book focused on the postpartum period and the massive upheaval women go through in those months, and in this book she hits the nail on the head as she talks about the mental load and expectations on women, mothers in particular. The way it was weaved into the storyline was so well done and had me nodding along in agreement at times. The men are really just secondary here, as the friendship between Mary and Willa is the primary focus.

I found Mary to be a sympathetic character, one caught being a rock and a bad place and trying to make the decisions that will be best for her son. Her life positively implodes when she attempts to start over in a small town, and I couldn’t put the story down as the twists and turns hit over and over. I loved the ending and the way it tied everything together neatly!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Ooo y'all... this one had lots of twists and turns! I loved the way Leah Konen brought these characters alive on the pages because they were filled with drama and intrigue! I was definitely kept with suspense until the very end. Must read for thriller lovers!

Lonely Mary is going through a divorce from her wealthy, controlling husband, George and is desperate to keep her child. When Mary meets Willa she feels that she has finally met a friend, someone she can confide in. But when Mary confides a secret to Willa things change. Willa has her own agenda. Is she friend or enemy? Flawed characters and a murder kept me turning the pages on this thriller.Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an early copy. This review is my opinion.

I was really excited to get this ARC. The description of the book sounded so interesting.

I liked this book enough to finish it and if you like the premise of " Keep you friends close, and enemies closer " This book is definitely for you.

I enjoyed the secrets and lies and trying to figure out what was the truth and what wasn't. However, I felt like it took a long time before the story started to take off. There was ALOT of build up before any of the action started.