I enjoyed this audiobook. The narrator was great. A little way into the book I got the odd feeling I've read this book already and turns out I did, in 2018? It was a decent story overall.

4.25⭐️

This is a new author to me with this psychological thriller. I had the audiobook version narrated by Katie Villa who is excellent. She does a great job with different voices for the main characters. She adds a good level of emotion and tension, she gets the balance just right.

The book is set in Dorset. Louisa’s son Joe has moved school and makes a new friend Tyler, the moms soon become best friends too. Darcy has it all, a rich opulent elegant lifestyle that Louisa and Jared can’t keep up with, but it’s a lifestyle which Jared desperately aspires to.

Louisa’s family quickly become very intertwined and reliant on Darcy both emotionally and financially.

Most of it is from Louisa’s POV, but we are taken back to 1996 with Callum and Nicole, we don’t know how the past fits with the present until the end.

Louisa and Jared are naive and trusting. It feels believable though. The level of threat and suspense escalate, I was well engaged with Louisa’s plight as she was struggling to be taken seriously.

The plot utilises a traditional trope for psych thrillers, it has multiple twists and reveals which are dispersed throughout the story, and the personalities are developed with their layers also gradually being laid out for the reader.

I feel that the narrator has really added to this book. I really enjoyed it.

3 stars

The good thing about this book is that is short and entertaining for the most part.

The not so good thing is that it's simplistic, the main character is beyond naive and gullible and is very predictable with a rushed, completely unrealistic ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for allowing me to read this book!

This is the third Shalini Boland thriller I've 'read' and the second of her Audiobooks narrated by Katie Villa. A winning combination, Katie Villa's narration is excellent, clear, distinct between the characters, and full of feeling and at times menace without being overly dramatic.

The story involves Louisa meeting Darcy, through their sons. Louisa's son Joe is new to the school and is quickly befriended by Darcy's son Tyler.

No spoilers, but Louisa is soon going to have a lot more to worry about than a playground fallout over Birthday parties.

The plot and tension builds smoothly and surely, with excellent character writing and the superb narration. There a great balance between Louisa's inner dialogue and conversation and events. I was fully hooked, as much as I've been by any thriller on Audiobook.

I didn't feel the ending quite lived up to the rest, but this was very enjoyable overall.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutre Audio

I absolutely loved this audiobook! It was thrilling, captivating, and kept me hooked from the very first chapter!

Thank you Net Galley for an audio ARC of The Best Friend by Shalini Boland. This is my second read from this author. This one has my angry! I love a good book that invokes some kind of emotion!

When Louisa meets Darcy, she really really likes her and soon they become great friends and their respective partners also seem to get along very well. Darcy not only has a really beautiful house, loving husband, a really settled life. Darcy seems to be slowing creeping into everything in Louisa & her husband Jared's life - their daily conversations, decisions. Slowly Louisa seems to get an eerie feeling that something is not right, everything that Darcy does seems to have a hidden agenda. As the truth gets uncovered, I was on the edge of my seat!

Vicious is the one word that came to my mind as I devoured this audiobook, really loved the narration by Katie Villa

Thanks

Louisa has a new best friend, who seems to be taking over her life slowly. Darcy portraits a high and rich lifestyle. When Michael, Darcy's husband is murdered things get a bit heated and Louise suddenly finds herself on the short stick.

Psycho best friend makes for a thrilling listen. A really fast paced story brings this book running from start to finish. It grips you and holds you until the end. I did expect a bit more of twist at the end but still very enjoyable and one that you will listen or read in one sitting.

The narration was fantastic, good pace and the different voices on point. Publication date: 31 May 2022.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was another wild Shalini story! I believe some of her previous books are now being released as audiobooks, as this one seems to be from a few years ago originally and slightly different from her writing as of late. It's still good but I think she's definitely sharpened her skills in the past few years.

Louisa and Jared have just moved to a new town with their son Joe. Right as they're settling in to a new school and life, two strange things happen. First, Louisa starts to see a man following her. She can't tell if she's being paranoid, but it seems odd.

Secondly, she makes fast friends with Darby. Darby is a wealthy woman with a son that Joe starts hanging out with. Louisa feels a bit threatened by her right off the bat because of her wealth and beauty. She tries to brush it off because Darby has been so kind.

Before long, Louisa reckons she was right to have questioned Darby's intentions. Darby is doing everything possible to entangle herself with Louisa's family. Her husband, her son, her job. What else could the woman possibly want?

By the time Louisa realizes that most people aren't that nice for free, it's too late and she will have to get to the bottom of it or risk losing her family, freedom, or even.. her life.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to review the audio! Katie Villa is always fantastic.

This book is absolutely brilliant. A pulse-pounding thriller that demonstrates what can possibly go wrong with a friendship and how easily people can be deceived.

Shalini Boland has succeeded in keeping me gripped for hours. This book is so twisty I never really knew if I could trust my mind, I sympathised with the Main Character so much when she was trying to persuade people she was in danger, bonus points because I didn't see the final mind blowing twist coming. If you have read any Shalini Boland before YOU NEED TOO!!!!!