I would first like to thank Leah Konen, NetGalley, and Putnam for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a perfect domestic thriller meets murder mystery where Mary meets Willa at the park while their children are playing and they become great friends. After Mary pours her heart out to Willa during a night at the bar Willa disappears for months, only to turn up under a different name with a different child.
Mary is going through a nasty custody battle and her soon to be ex ends up dead — who is responsible?

This twisty thriller kept me guessing until the end! This is the first book I’ve read by Leah Konen but definitely not the last! I was hooked until the end!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Keep Your Friends Close.

I wasn't a fan of this because the premise was unoriginal.

This is not the first book I've read where a lonely woman (insert: mother, wife, professional) befriends a glamorous woman who in turn turns out to be not who she says she is (con artist).

It was hard to like Mary, who married for money, and now finds herself at the mercy of her wealthy husband and powerful family when she tries to leave him, and Willa, who pretends to be someone who she is not, to scam money, jewels, and lavish clothes from her marks.

At least, she is honest about what she does and who she is.

Mary and Cassandra are typical stereotypes of this genre; women who fall for their handsome (aren't they all in these books), wealthy, entitled husbands until they realize they aren't who they pretend to be.

None of the twists were surprising, though the identity of the killer felt far fetched, in my opinion.

It felt forced, as if the author realized the big bad had to be someone in their social circle and chose this dude at the last minute.

All the talk about jewelry and selling it to start a better life was repetitive, redundant, and SO boring.

The writing was fine, but the narrative lacked suspense, drama, and compelling characters. I didn't like anyone, nor did I care what happened to them.

Mary is a struggle new mom trying to find her way. When she meets a fellow mom at the playground, she knows she has met a new best friend. Willa is different from the other moms-bold, confident, and funny. Mary feels a sparkle in her life again. With the prompting of Willa, she spills secrets and unhappiness in her marriage. She finds the courage to leave her husband, The problem is she has now also lost Willa, who has disappeared without a seeming trace.

Drama ensues and the story help strong to the end!

Keep Your Friends Close was a solid read it for me. It started off a bit slow, but it picked up relatively quickly, and I became invested in the main character. I did think it was a bit strange how quickly she befriended Willa and barred her soul to her but I think some of that can be attributed to her need to find someone who cared about her and was kind to her. I did think the unveiling of the relationship between Cass and Willa was a bit disjointed, and the end felt a tad clunky. The killer was not believable for me because we never saw or heard anything to make it seem like they would be violent or lose control. It felt a bit like a cop out. But, I still enjoyed the read, and how fast paced was. Thank you to Putnam Books for my advanced reader copy.

I LOVED this book, that is no understatement. Konen sucked me in from the first chapter and didn't let me go. I loved the alternating viewpoints and could not wait to find out what happened next. Keep Your Friends Close does not lack any twists and turns and certainly does not disappoint. A delicious rollercoaster ride, this book will leave you wanting and waiting for more. I definitely thought about this book long after I finished. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor a few times, but I loved that and crave that in a book. The only negative thing that I can say about the book is that I guessed the killer before the ending which just wasn't as fulfilling to me as if it would have been a complete shocker and surprise. I'm definitely going to have to start thinking who I can trust and what their motives are in my real life after this book. I will definitely be looking forward to more from Leah Konen.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. This is my first book by this author and I will be seeking out more! I easily finished this book in 2 days. It was a page turner from start to finish!

I absolutely loved this book! The plot was freaking good, I loved the twist and the way the book was written. I cant wait for the release and recommend this book!

As far as thrillers go, this was entertaining. Though I could guess each twist that came my way but I was pleasantly surprised. Witty.

This book turned me off within the first 5% .of reading. A journalist would not tell all her personal business to a bartender she has just ordered 1 drink from. Started off unbelievable and it seemed mindless to finish.

This was my first book by Leah Konen and I really enjoyed it. I love Mary as the main character. I like that we get to know who she is in the way she treats Willa and Alex. I loved reading from the perspective of Mary and Willa. I definitely didn’t guess the ending. Overall, I really liked this book and I can’t wait to read more by this author.

Thank you publisher and net galley for this ARC. I really enjoyed this book and didn’t see many of the twists that came. I recommend this book for readers who enjoy this genre.

Mary is going through a contentious divorce with her wealthy husband George. She's trying to relocate to Woodstock NY with her son Alex when she runs into a former friend, Willa. Willa and Mary's complicated relationship is examined in this book along with many treacherous twists & turns, including murder! This book was entertaining and a quick read. I really enjoyed it and the red herrings. A fun book--great for thriller/mystery lovers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP PUTNAM /G. P. Putnam’s Sons for sharing this book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Twisty and fun read
It’s always fun to read a book that is set in an area I’m familiar with. I enjoyed the main character Mary finding her backbone and overcoming things and getting stronger

Keep Your Friends Close is the first book I’ve read by the author. The beginning was a slow burn for me. I wasn’t a fan of Mary at first she was a bit of a pushover. Over time I grew to like her character as well as Willa. This was a great mix of murder, mystery, and female friendship. Once I got over the initial hump I needed to know the who, what, and why! The ending was perfect!

This was fun! I love a good thriller and this one definitely kept me on my toes. Definitely recommend!

Publication Date: 2/20/2024

This was a very entertaining thriller and I was second guessing it from the very beginning! As a mom of a toddler this totally hit home for me!

This book was very fast paced and had you wondering whodunit the whole way through. It had lots of plot twists, and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time!

This book follows Mary, a soon to be single mom who has a two year old son Alex and needs a friend more than ever as she is going through a divorce, she becomes fast friends with Willa but then gets randomly ghosted. Mary moves on with her life, and tries to move a few hours away and runs into nobody else than Willa. But Willa, isn't Willa she's going by Annie and has a whole new look & is acting like she doesn't know Mary. Then suddenly Mary's husband turns up dead and secrets come out.

What I Liked:
- Fast Paced
- Multiple POV's
- Likable POV's
- Murder Mystery & Con Artistry

If you love a fast paced domestic thriller with a little bit of con artistry then this is the book for you!

Thank you Netgalley & PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for an Advanced Reader Copy!

I really enjoyed this book. It had a lot of elements of intrigue and kept me guessing until the very end. I love when the ending completely surprises me!

Keep Your Friends Close is the first book I’ve read by Leah Konen and I was not disappointed! I loved that more than just a thriller there was a deeper dive into the struggles and expectations of mothers.

The character building was great and I really enjoyed that it was written in a dual timeline with multiple perspectives. Willa was so interesting, I spent the majority of the book trying to decide if she was trustworthy or not. There were a couple of really good twists and I liked the way the book was wrapped up! I’d definitely recommend this one and look forward to reading more by Leah Konen.

This was such a great read. Very hard to put down! I really loved the story line and the main character! I love domestic thriller books and this one did not disappoint. The chapters were short and the author kept it moving at a quick pace! So if you’re looking for a hard to put down domestic thriller this book is for you! The ending was fantastic and I can’t wait to read more from this author!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Putnam for allowing me to read this ARC!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Putnam for this ARC!
I truly enjoyed this read. The title is what drew me in initially and I am so glad I let my curiosity run away with me. Domestic thrillers and friend betrayals are my jam, and this book had all of that and then some! I found myself not wanting to put the book down until I finished, which is super rare for me. The final reveal was done so well, and honestly, the only thing I hated about this book was that it had to end. I would recommend it for sure.