The president of the West Hollywood Mom's Club, Kiersten McCann, is dead in Keep Your Friends Close by Lucinda Berry, but who did it and why? Three moms, Whitney, Jade, and Brooke, find themselves at the heart of the investigation. They've all been hiding secrets that could ruin them, their families, and possibly bring to light why Kiersten ended up facedown in a swimming pool after a Mom's Night Out. The aftermath could be even worse than the murder.

I found this book pretty engaging, sometimes too slow, though. I've seen some reviews that completely panned this book, and I can see why, but I thought it was entertaining. There are so many juicy secrets to reveal as you turn the pages although it takes a little too long, and you're kept guessing throughout the book. I liked the writing style and felt it moved you along the story. I'll say that this is nothing like the mom's group I was a part of for so many years.

One issue I had was keeping track of the moms. Two of the principal characters, Whitney and Jade, seemed so similar that I had to refresh my memory about who was who more than once. Even the victim Kiersten felt interchangeable with the other two women. I recalled who Brooke was because she was in a same-sex marriage. This was also the case with their husbands. I kept forgetting who was married to whom. Some circumstances in the book led to this possibility. I think that I needed a physical description of the moms such as hair color, background, etc., to keep these people in mind.

One of the storylines was really scandalous, and I hoped that they would delve into that more. I thought that it was integral to the plot, but it sort of disappeared. Towards the climax, it started to get too crazy, and things happened that were not just shocking but puzzling. The end and possible reasons that led to the murder were a little sketchy in that it felt too simple. As the book draws to a close, it felt too loaded with craziness and shock. It was almost like it was layered on way too thick to the point of lunacy.

Other than that, I have to say that I enjoyed it to a point. It's my first reading of the author's books, and I'm interested to read a few more of her books.

This was a pacy, gripping, tense + captivating thriller that I flew through. The twists kept me engrossed and the writing style was brilliant. It kept me guessing till the end! I love Berry’s writing and this was no different!

Thank you Netgalley + the publisher for my ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Another great book by Lucinda Berry.
Really great read that held my interest the whole time. Definitely check this one out. Well written book by a great author.

A new-to-me author I had heard great things about. I liked the THEN and NOW format for all the characters, that was informative.

The story flowed along quite well and I found it interesting until later in the book....

For me....TOO many END twists...it was like the 'kitchen sink of twists' were flying near the end...and I was confused with it all. Too unbelievable...really too silly... Disappointed, not sure if this author is for me?

Thank you for the ARC! This book was captivating and disturbing. There were some parts where the switching between timelines was messy and confusing but otherwise the POVs were done well! This is a "who dunnit" with lots of mental health spotlights.

"Women bond over secrets. That's what female friendships are made of-shared secrets."

MAN OH MAN Lucinda Berry does it again.
Delivering yet another roller coaster ride of a domestic thriller and of course including Berry's signature surprises and easter eggs along the way.

Grasping your attention right from the beginning. Jam packed with suspense and twists and turns that will have you in a complete head spin

The genre blend of thriller, murder mystery and crime procedural will have you in an absolute chokehold. You will spend the entirety of this book sleuthing your way through trying to connect the dots. And just when you think you have someone pegged, WHAM Berry smacks you with another spine tingling plot twist that changes everything.

And that ending, Y'ALL . Like What the actual heck!?! For real it felt as if I was stepping into a whole new book genre. Experiencing something I haven't seen from Berry before. And I absolutely loved it. MIND FREAKING BLOWN

"I didn't want to play with the mean girls. I wasn't cut out for it. Not in highschool and not now."

Seriously I'm not joking, You gotta read this book!

Thank you the Netgalley and Lucinda Berry for an early peek into Keep Your Friends Close in exchange for my honost thoughts and opinions. I absolutely loved it and I can't wait to see what comes next

One of my favorite tropes is rich ladies acting unhinged. It's so fun. This story had me engaged on the first page. All the characters had secrets and they were all suspicious. The ending had my jaw on the floor!

I am such a sucker for rich women that have nothing better to do but be dramatic lol. Even though you find yourself rolling your eyes at a lot of these characters and their antics, you can't help but fly through the pages. The book switches POV between all 6 of the women. The book is full of secrets of the suburban neighborhood. The twist at the end was not expected and interesting turn of events. I love Lucinda work and can't wit to read more!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. This started out good, got boring, got freaking nuts. A total hot mess express. It was ok but nothing great.

This was a good book but a little different than what I was expecting. I didn't expect it to be quite so domestic but it does make sense. I just wish I would have felt more connected to the characters or invested in the plot. I really liked the ending but it didn't impact me as much as it would have if I was gripped by the rest of the story. I would have loved to see some of the dark ending expanded and made more of the book. Overall a good read and I would read more from the author.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

Kiersten is found dead in her own backyard at her own party surrounded by her very closest friends. But who did it? Her death is not an accident. It's a story of rich women, female friendship and secrets. There are POVs from both the past and the present. All the characters harbor secrets and were possible killers. With friends like these, who needs enemies?
The characters were well developed, and the twists abound. The end had me in shook! It wasn't my favorite thriller but I will definitely pick up another Lucinda Berry book in the future.
3 stars.

I was excited about this because I like Lucinda Berry but I found the plot to be too similar to other recently published titles in this genre. The writing was more juvenile than I would have liked.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. I always look forward to Lucinda Berry's books, and this was no exception. This was a quick read, and I did not see the ending. Fun, fast thriller.

This story was okay. Not my favorite by the author.
Keep Your Friends Close started out really good and then got a tad convoluted towards the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very intriguing. I was hooked and wanted to know answers. I truly was in it and was trying to figure out who did and what everyone was hiding. I was ready to give this 5 stars. I was wanting to read and not stop and couldn't wait to pick it up again. I flew through it and was invested. I just ended up having a personal issue with a twist at the end. If you haven't been touched by it it won't effect you and I guarantee this will be a great read but it was something that I didn't think fit in with the story line and was just randomly added in at the end and I didn't feel it needed to be there. It was just a random added story. If it had just ended before that last twist I would have thought this was a great book and given it 5 stars!

When Kiersten McCann, president of the West Hollywood Moms’ Club, turns up dead in her own pool, it quickly becomes clear this wasn’t an accident. And the party guests―all members of the exclusive club―are now key suspects in her murder. Accusations fly, and three mothers find themselves at the center of the investigation. Whitney, Brooke, and Jade all have heavy secrets to bear…and possible motives for their friend’s murder. But as the police look closer, more secrets, betrayals, and sinister plots are revealed than the women could ever imagine. With everything at stake, deceit threatens to shatter their illusions of the perfect life. West Hollywood will never be the same.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for giving me an advance copy.

I typically love this authors work but this one fell short for me. I found myself annoyed with and bored of the rich elite Beverly Hills persona. I’ve seen great reviews and I’m really glad others enjoyed it!

Lucinda Barry is always a hit for me! I personally love thrillers based around groups of friends packed full of lots of drama, so this book really ticked off the boxes. The multiple POVs never got convoluted or confusing; they helped the story unfold and ratchet up the suspense because you never quite knew who you could trust. I read this in just a couple of sittings and absolutely loved it!

Eh. It was ok. I think I was hoping for a bit more of a challenge to figure out how it would end, and I found none of the characters relatable. It held my interest long enough for me to finish it but that was it.