I liked this alot more than I thought I would going into it. This had that perfect mix of murder, mystery, friendship and betrayal. Every aspect of this had me devouring the pages until the very last one. It was cleverly written with each part inserted at the perfect point. The two women were highly likeable although some may not agree on that one with Willa. There was something about her though that I really liked even though I have had plenty of friends to stab me in the back as well. I just really liked her and loved reading her view on things. The men in this were despicable to say the least. The reveal was done well and I didn't have the slightest hint of it until it was almost there. Overall, this was a nice surprise and I'll give it four and a half stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC.

Mary is a newly divorced and finds herself a new mom friend at the park. Willa seems to be the perfect friend, until she ghosts Mary after Mary spills some secrets. This was a fast paced, fun read that had me guessing the entire time. A twist at the end I didn’t see coming!

I really enjoyed this frenemies thriller! This book left me second guessing everything, even after the end of it!

There is nothing more I enjoy than a thriller that is a quick read and hooks me in from the start! Leah Konen’s Keep Your Friends Close did just that! I was invested in what was going to happen with Mary and Willa. Is Willia and innocent by-stander who got roped into this families drama and crime? Or is she hiding a secret and is more involved than you think? So many twist and turns that’ll keep you guessing. I also enjoyed and appreciate how the author dives into the struggles that we women and mothers encounter on a daily basis and how that affects our lives. I couldn’t be more happy to have read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and author for allowing me to review this ARC.

4 stars 🫶🏼

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for my Netgalley copy of KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE by Leah Konen, out January 30th, 2024!

I read this entire book in one sitting on a plane ride and whizzed through it. It’s definitely a page-turning thriller once the action starts to finally happen. With a slow build-up, the ending was major wow factor and I loved the ride Konen took us on.

Isolated and embroiled in a custody battle with her asshole soon-to-be ex-husband, Mary is in need of friend. One day, she coincidentally… meets the extremely charming and extrovertedly intoxicating Willa at a playground. When they’re drunk one night, Mary reveals a huge secret about her ex. The next day, Willa compeltely ghosts her.

Two months later, as she’s exploring her new hometown up north in New York nearing the finalization of her divorce, she runs into Willa. Or, should I say Annie? That’s her new identity and Willa is acting like she doesn’t know her. Then, Mary’s husband George ends up dead as a doornail and Mary is the prime suspect.

Who is Willa? Who killed George?There is twist after twist in this novel and it’s extremely fun uncovering who is who in this wild ride. Definitely a mini-feminist thriller about the emotional and mental load that women take on in marriage and motherhood, and class differences when families combine. The dual timelines of this book take a minute to follow, but it really keeps you guessing as you flip the page. Short chapters + constant cliffhangs = an unputdownable book! To no one’s surprise, men are not shit! Add this one to your TBR for a fun, feminist and freaktastic read my book-lovin’ pals.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book....
Wow, full of twists. Thought i had figures it out early, but totally took a turn.
Great story, great read

Mary is battling her extremely wealthy husband in a messy divorce. She wants to ensure that she has shared time with her young son Alex. She moves to New York State to get away from her soon to be ex's family in NYC and runs into an ex-friend. Willa, however, pretends to not know her and claims to be named Annie, Mary is sure it is Willa and hopes that her old friend can support her in her custody fight. When her husband turns up dead, she is the only one Mary can turn to! Shades of Patricia Highsmith paint this thriller!
#penguin #LeahKonen

This is the first book I've read by the author and I look forward to more! I would characterize this as a feminist thriller about the mental load of marriage and motherhood. The story focuses on two affluent women (Mary & Willa) living in Brooklyn who meet while at the playground with their young boys. They quickly becomes bffs, until a few months later when Willa suddenly disappears and ghosts Mary.

The novel vacillates between dual timelines, as Mary subsequently divorces her controlling husband and moves upstate to start over in a small town. There, Mary spots Willa, who is now with a new family, goes by a different name (Annie), and denies knowing Mary. Mary is shocked, understandably questions her sanity, and begins to follow her former bff to get to the bottom of this mystery.

I definitely stayed up late reading this book as the fast pace, short chapters, and cliffhangers kept me engaged. It was one of the few plots that I was not able to guess in advance! Though there were a couple of parts that were redundant and a bit unbelievable, I still enjoyed how the author delved into topics that many women experience when they become wives and mothers and managed to tie these themes into a domestic thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and Leah Koen for this ARC!

Yes! Yes and Yes!

This book was thrilling with interesting main characters. I was invested from the first few pages. I think it will do very well with people that love a domestic style thriller book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Five stars.

Mary has finally separated from her wealthy and controlling husband George. All she wants is to live peacefully with her young son although, without George’s money and facing a custody fight, she is isolated and lonely. One afternoon at the park, she meets the gorgeous, sophisticated Willa, also at the beck and call of a two year old. They become fast friends and Willa’s eagerness to treat Mary allows her to have real fun for the first time since her separation. Then, without warning, Willa stops taking her calls and ignores her texts. Fast forward two months. Mary is spending a week in upstate New York searching for a home close enough to George for shared custody and there is Willa. Only she’s different. Her hair is dyed, her clothes are not designer… and she doesn’t recognize Mary. Also in town are George and his brother Henry. George is hoping to reconcile and Harry is desperately seeking something. Mary may know what that something is. Within days, there will be a murder, confessed theft and deception, all possibly involving Willa. Is Willa responsible or is she a victim? And, Mary wonders, who is she?

Keep Your Friends Close is a fast paced mystery with complicated plotting. Some developments don’t quite make sense but by then you are so invested in what happens to Mary and Willa that you won’t care. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and Leah Koen for this ARC.

Such a quick paced thriller that had me interested the entire time! I loved that it gave different perspectives and went back and forth between two different periods of time. I honestly didn’t see the end coming because there was so many twists and turns.

First time reading a book by this author and I absolutely loved it! It kept my attention from start to finish and all of the twists kept me on my toes.

Thank you for the ARC! This book grabbed my attention from the beginning !
Loved the story being told by different characters and point of views. I definitely did not see the twists at the end coming. 5 stars!

As a huge fan of everything Alfred Hitchcock, I was intrigued by the mention of Strangers on a Train in the description. What a story! It pulled me in and kept me guessing. Fast paced story that is well-written yet easy to read. I think I’ve found another favorite author!

A riveting murder mystery that kept me guessing and on my toes from start to finish. A must read for those who love domestic thrillers with shocking twists.

Leah Kohen has once again delivered a masterful thriller that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. With an eccentric puzzle-vibed screenplay, powerful direction, and impactful composing, "Oppenheimer" proves to be Christopher Nolan's finest work to date. Not only is it the best movie of his career, but it's also a strong contender for the best movie of the year, poised to sweep numerous awards.

From the very beginning, the movie captivates its audience with its intricate plot and expertly crafted storytelling. The screenplay is filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. As the narrative unfolds, you find yourself immersed in a world of mystery, suspense, and intrigue.
The short, captivating chapters are narrated by two characters, Mary and Willa. Mary is a woman fighting to divorce her powerful husband and retain custody of her two-year-old son, while Wilma is happily married with a little boy and quickly becomes Mary's confidante. The plotline, resembling "Strangers on a Train," progresses as Mary shares her secrets with her new friend, whom she barely knows. Suddenly, Mary finds herself as the prime suspect in her husband's murder case, with suspicions arising about her enigmatic new friend, who recently ghosted her and may lead a double life.

Both women's points of view are intriguing, keeping your attention locked in as you invest in their stories, turning the pages faster to uncover the truth behind the possessive husband George's demise.

Be prepared not to be fooled by unexpected twists that will leave you screaming in surprise, as they are nearly impossible to foresee.

As I read, I found myself taking notes on the facts, motives, and suspects, as if I were working on a case study. I'm delighted that there are no loose ends or unexplained aspects. While some explanations may seem a little far-fetched, and coincidental connections made my eyes roll, the heart-throbbing resolution and exciting execution kept me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed this book as much as the author's other works. It's undoubtedly a perfect popcorn read! I highly recommend it to fans of domestic meets psychological thrillers and those who admire the author's writing.

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

I've read all of Leah Konen's other books and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. So I was beyond thrilled to receive an early ARC of this and it did not disappoint!! Konen does an excellent job of setting up the story. It is told from both Mary and Willa's POVs. Mary is instantly easy to relate to and I physically felt her pain and confusion at being ghosted by Willa. Willa's story is multi layered and she's written clearly with both an edge and a sweetness to her that I found as irresistible as Mary. A moth drawn to the flame. I loved her even as I realized you couldn't believe anything she said. When Mary's soon to be Ex husband, George, is found murdered the cat and mouse games begin. Because you'll tell your friends anything over a bottle of wine....... The scenes were brilliant. The writing is sharp and clever . The twists perfectly paced and the ending Was. Perfection. !!!!! Rounding up to 4.5 ⭐ s put this one at the top of your wishlist!!!!! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

★ ★ ★ ★//5
𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄
by Leah Konen

Pub Date: February 20, 2024

THOUGHTS:
I could not set this fast paced thriller down. Every page I turned was something new that made me think about who did it. This book has you thinking and guess to the very last page. The characters are well developed and their dialogue is perfect. The plot and setting is fabulous as well. I will continue to read books by Leah, I love her writing style and can’t wait to see what is next for her!

If you love :
- enjoy murder mysteries
- fast paced domestic thrillers

Thank you to netgalley, penguin group putnam, and leah konen for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

Keep Your Friends Close is a domestic thriller that includes friendship and betrayal. The story is fast paced and suspenseful. There were a good amount of twists and turns along the way. I enjoyed trying to figure out if I should trust Willa or not. The ending ties things up nicely. A great thriller read!

Thanks to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for a digital ARC.

This was a twisty and fun read. It centers on Mary, who is going through a divorce from super rich and powerful George, who is not letting her go so easily. During this time, she makes a good friend named Willa but it turns out Willa also has secrets to hide. Poor Mary has been screwed over by basically everyone she let in and she is just trying to make a better life for herself and her toddler son.

While it seemed like Mary might be a pushover initially, I really didn’t think she was as the book continued. Sure, she made some bad decisions but she seemed like a genuine person who wanted to see the best in people, and she had the moxie to pull herself out of a bad situation when she got into one. There are a ton of twists in the 2nd half of the book that left me constantly changing my mind about who did what and how it all fit together. The loose ends were all tied up nicely when all was said and done, and I felt the ending was satisfying. If I had one complaint it’s that there were simply too many coincidences to be fully believable; this didn’t take away from my enjoyment, though.

Overall, this is a good book that is hard to put down. It has good twists and I’d recommend it for those who enjoy psychological thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.