ARC REVIEW: Best Friends – by Carys Jones @Aria_Fiction

Title: Best Friends
Author: Carys Jones
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
First published: February 1st 2018
Publisher: Aria Fiction
Finished reading: January 24th 2018
Pages: 330

“Sometimes the reality doesn’t live up to the dream.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Aria Fiction in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

!! Happy publication day !!

Sometimes a book just speaks to you, and that was exactly the case when I first saw Best Friends mentioned. I was immediately intrigued by the blurb and decided to give this psychological thriller a go. Four friends, a big secret and only one week to find their way out of trouble? Sounds like a perfect recipe for an entertaining and suspenseful ride to me. Best Friends starts out fast-paced and strong and has without doubt a very interesting premise. The main characters and four friends all have their own personalities and the dynamics between them works quite well. Both the situation they suddenly find themselves in and the mystery around Grace’s past adds a whole lot of suspense to the mix… Although the main focus is on the ‘problem’ they will have to deal with. While there is quite some action involved, there is a lot of focus on the characters as well, so fans of character-driven psychological thrillers will enjoy this element of Best Friends. As far as the plot goes… To be honest, I’m not sure everything is all that believable. Especially as things start to escalate, I started wondering about the credibility of it all; both the situation they are in and the ‘solutions’ they are trying to find. I also felt the ending wrapped things up a little too nicely… But all in all this is without doubt still a fast-paced and entertaining psychological thriller read.

Grace and her three best friends Jasper, Franklin and Aaron are flatmates living in London, trying desperately to make a living while also following their dreams. Things are not going as planned and they are quickly running out of money and hope… But then one night they find a suitcase in a skip with some very interesting content inside. They think their prayers have been answered, but things soon turned sour when someone ends up on their doorstep, claiming back what is, according to him, his. They have one week, or else they will have to pay with their lives…

If you are looking for a fast-paced and entertaining psychological thriller that focuses on both the characters and the action, you have found a good balance in Best Friends. This thriller has an interesting premise and a lot of action, but the story isn’t solely about the ‘problem’ they have to deal with. The story also focuses on their friendship and how the complicated situation they are in might affect this relationship. Especially in the second half of the story might not be all that believable, but it is still a solid read if you don’t focus that much on the credibility of it all.