This book begins with a scene that felt only too real. A terror attack in London and Cara is seeing it unfold before her when someone pulls her inside a shop and saves her life.

We find out that Cara works as a radio producer and the next day a special programme is aired featuring the events of the terror attack. The person who saved Cara rings in and reveals that she will keep the secret Cara shared with her safe!

Slowly we see Cara's life begin to unfold, both the past and the present events before she witnessed the terror attack. Cara needs a nanny and it turns out that the stranger who saved her is just that so she invites her to live in her home. Meanwhile the stranger begins to find out a little more about Cara's past.

I found this book to be a slow starter after the initial horror of the opening scenes. There was nothing for me to endear me to Cara - I found her very shallow and self serving and wasn't really interested in what happened to her or her life.

Once Amy - the stranger, begins to find out more about Cara's past the book got more interesting and there were two twists - or even a double twist that made me sit up and take note. The end of the book was very taught and the physiological thriller aspect of the book really came to life with a nail biting scene. I was wondering how this was all going to end. Finally we get closure on what has been happening in the book - or do we? as a terrific final twist is revealed.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. I did enjoy the book but felt it took me a long time to get through.

My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the book for review.

Cara meets Amy the night of a terrorist arrack in London, and through her fear spills all her secrets in the close confines of the shops staff room. Amy manages to worm her way into Caras life with deadly consequences.

A thoroughly amazing, screwed up story!! So many things happening and questioning who is behind it all, and even when you know there is still so much to get from this!

With a dual first-person narration this psychological thriller switches alternating points of view by Cara – the protagonist, and Amy – the antagonist. When Amy rescues stranger Cara from being slaughtered in a terrorist attack in London, the shock of being in such a life threatening situation makes Cara confide her inner most secrets to Amy. Cara thinks she will never see Amy again but as it turns out, Amy just so happens to be a bit of weirdo stalker and finds her.

But there’s also somebody else from Cara’s past who knows what she’s been up to. Finn is not only a threat to Cara’s marriage but also a threat to what Amy wants. When both Cara’s professional and personal life begins to crumble around her, the evidence points to YCF – Your Closest Friend as being the perpetrator. But just who is YCF? Those closest to Cara are all under suspsicion.

The plot is well structured with tension building throughout the narrative arc. I kept waiting for some kind of link between Cara and Amy from the past but there wasn’t one. This was mildly disappointing but also made it more realistic; Cara just reminded Amy of somebody she once knew.

The main characters are well rounded, but none of them particularly likeable. Cara, herself, is selfish as a mother and even more so as a step-mother. Amy was already showing signs of being a bit of a stalker but Cara still allowed her into her home and trusted her with the care of her daughter. Jeff is quite happy to swan off overseas without even considering who is going to take over the care of his daughter. And Finn is a bit of a dick tbh. But it’s with the antagonist where the author’s characterisation particularly shines: Amy really is a nasty piece of work.

Under Literature Love’s rating scheme this book has been awarded 4 out of 5 stars.

This means I really enjoyed this book. This book is highly recommended. A well-structured narrative with three dimensional characters (not necessarily likeable). Plot is intriguing with twisty hooks.

A dark twisty story, well worth a read. How lies and deceipt catch up with you one way or another. Would recommend.

Rarely has a book pulled me in so fast or held me so tightly in it’s grip. Right from the opening sentence ‘It’s his eyes that grab my attention. Not the gun. Eyes like a doll’s: dark and malevolently blank.’ I was hooked. The opening chapter plays on a fear I think is in a lot of people’s minds – Cara stumbles into a terrorist attack and is saved at the last moment by Amy. While hiding from the chaos on the streets Cara shares her innermost secrets with Amy.
I thought this book would be about the terrorist attack, I was initially quite surprised that, other than the fallout from what was said in that room, that isn’t really mentioned again. That threw me slightly but I was very quickly back with the book and the unfolding story line.
That opening chapter lays the groundwork for the rest of the book – what did happen in that room? What did Cara tell Amy? Each subsequent chapter is told from either Amy’s or Cara’s point of view and the intrigue just keeps coming. Amy worms her way into Cara’s life, is really who she seems? You are almost drip-fed information and questions keep forming. The intensity keeps building until the final chapters and the books inevitable conclusion.
My brain was buzzing the entire time I was reading this book, wondering what was going on, what would happen next. Anyone who loves a book full of intrigue and dark menace then this is a book for you. Many thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for a copy to review.

She shouldn’t have been there in the first place, Shoreditch, the part of London where the attack took place in which Cara was almost killed. It was this young girl, Amy, who saved her by pulling her into a store and then hiding with her for hours. Cara just left her lover when she met the killer, under the pressure of the events, she told Amy about her affair and the lost love of her husband. The events bring them close together and when Cara needs somebody to babysit her daughter, Amy moves in. What seems to be a close friendship, turns out to be something completely different and it won’t take too long until Cara doesn’t recognize her own life anymore and has to realize that she is in real danger.

Karen Perry, the pseudonym of Karen Gillece and Paul Perry, has chosen two quite different main characters for her sixth thriller: on the one hand, the down-to-earth successful radio maker Cara who supports her family and has established herself a picture book life – however, only when looked at from the outside. On the other hand, it is obvious from the beginning that Amy is suffering from hearing voices and that her extreme emotion leads her much more than a rational view of reality. Alternating their points of views gives the reader an advance which does not diminish the suspense.

You know exactly what is going to happen, yet, the question remains how far Amy is ready to go to attain her goal. Would she kill for it? Whom? How destructive is she actually or does she break down before something really bad happens? Something really bad is in the air – and then it happens.

I really liked Karen Perry’s style of writing which keeps you reading on because you want to know how this mess will finally be solved. Nevertheless, I was a bit disappointed by the protagonist Cara. At first, she seems to be quite clever and everything but easy to manipulate. But the more the plot advances, the more naive and even plainly stupid she becomes. This is a bit annoying because at a certain point, it is absolutely apparent who is behind it all, but she remains stubbornly ignorant. All in all, quite some entertaining thriller.

Caught up a terror attack that rocks London, Cara seeks refuge with stranger Amy, and fearing for her life reveals some of her secrets. But when Amy starts to get more and more involved in her life, Cara begins to fear she’s revealed more than she should have done…

Your Closest Friend is a chilling read of secrets, lies and obsessions. The stakes ramp up well in the book as it starts to get sinister and you can realistically see how easy it is for someone to start ruining your life.

I felt that the book rushed over certain parts of the plot – I understand that it’s better that we don’t know what secrets Cara reveals at first, but the conversation which is such a major part of the blurb is rushed over so quickly, I had to skim back to check if I’d missed it. I also felt that the Amy’s sinister nature was downplayed by having alternating chapters from her perspective. I feel if she had been left as an unknown her character would have made more of an impact. I also feel like this made the plot progression a little too easy to guess as you got all of the information you needed from both characters. I didn’t really feel that Cara cared very much about anyone - Jeff, Finn or even her own daughter despite being portrayed as the victim. The mistakes that she makes are quite frustrating to a reader at times.

There is, of course a twist at the end but I must admit in the few days it took me to write this review I had forgotten what it was and had to go back and check – it didn’t really leave much of an impression! The whole story didn’t grab my attention as much as I had hoped it would.

Overall it’s a creepy read but didn’t really grab me as much as I hoped it would. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK – Michael Joseph for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What a book! I was pulled in from the start and was held by the story with its twists and turns. Telling the story from the 2 main characters’ points of view was a very clever way to tell this compelling story of 2 women who meet by chance and become part of each other’s lives. It’s hard to know what to believe or who to trust right up to the very end. Loved it!

In an age where we can discover a lot about one another at the click of a button and befriend people we do not know at all, by trusting them on face (and profile) value alone, then it’s not too big a stretch to see how easy it might be to trust a real life stranger whose path we accidentally cross. Especially one who has acted heroically toward us.

Amy rescues Cara from being caught up in the throes of a terrorist attack in London. Her quick thinking and direct action helps to keep them safer than they were on the streets. It creates a bond of sorts in Amy’s mind at least, one she elevates far higher than it actually is.

Before long, she stalks her new found friend, inveigling herself into the family and infiltrating every aspect of Cara’s life. Only Cara fails to see how dangerous Amy can be, as a person who cannot cope well with perceived rejection and is looking for far more than casual friendship. She is also adept at seeing where Cara’s weaknesses lay and quick to spot opportunities to exploit them.

I was captivated by this gripping and well written story and intrigued to see how it would all end. But I was also rather irritated with Cara at times, because she seemed blind to the obvious and too naive and trusting for words. Though that built suspense and believability into the characterisation.

The author throws in enough clever twists and turns to keep you guessing right to the end. The action heats up to a breathtaking finale. A real page-turner with much to say about issues of trust, friendship and relationships in general. One that will haunt you after the last page has been read.

Amy arranges to meet an ex-boyfriend one evening after work, leaving her child at home in the care of her husband. On her way home she becomes involved in a terrorist attack and is confronted by a man with a gun. Suddenly she is pulled into a doorway to safety with another man – Cara a waitress has saved them and they hide in an upstairs storeroom. The man, Alex decides to try and escape whilst the women remain hidden. Alex is killed. This is the explosive beginning and from the outset the drama is high. Amy and Cara hidden together for hours form a bond, and Amy shares a secret. These events leave Amy somewhat traumatised and she begins to struggle.

The plot unfolds between Amy’s point of view and Cara’s point of view. What should have been a one-off encounter develops into a merging of their two lives, slowly and invidiously. What is Cara’s end-game?

The characters are very well drawn. I find it difficult to understand Amy and I am not sure I have much sympathy with her or her husband. Her step-daughter, she is a nightmare but Cara? You need to read it to see what you think.

The tension is palpable; the plot unexpected and a totally unexpected ending. My review just doesn’t do it justice.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

Sadly I seem not to have been as enthralled by Your Closest Friend as everyone else was, and I can't quite figure out why. This story follows Cara, who gets caught up in a terroist attack in London and is saved by Amy, a young, American girl, still looking for her place in the world. The characters make dubious decisions that at times frustrate me, and I just didn't click with them, get affectionate towards them and as a result, really invest in them.

I think what got me, was that I guessed pretty much every single thing that happened. I say pretty much, for anyone who has read the book, I'm sure you'll know which part I didn't guess. But was it enough to make me love the book? Unfortunately not. Would I recommend people still read it? Definitely, if only for that one part that you just didn't see coming.

Psychological thriller which explores exposure to emotional danger. The writing keeps you on the edge of your seat and not knowing the outcome until the very end.

Absolutely awful in too many ways to describe.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Your Closest Friend by Karen Perry explores the compulsive obsession of one woman with another, stemming from the extraordinary circumstances they were thrown into.

Cara is rescued by Amy when she is plucked out of harms way from a crazed terrorist out on the London streets. Cara is at a vulnerable point in her life and opens up to Amy revealing far more than she probably would have, had it not been for the situation they found themselves in. From there on out their lives seem to become all-out entangled, one with the other, as Cara's life begins to unravel and Amy is conveniently there to "pick up the pieces."

With perfect pacing, complex characters, secrets, mystery and mounting tension, I eagerly turned the pages, being led to the point where I knew one of these woman would crack under the immense pressure, but who would buckle at the knees first and what would the fallout from that be?

Admittedly, I had to suspend belief at some of the jaw dropping shockers, but that was doable considering how fear, anxiety and stress can make the best of us behave questionably at times, let alone situations where menacing obsession is at play.

A thrilling read right up until the very final twist.

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

I love it when I think I have a book figured out and I'm so wrong. In the right way. This was a fantastic read!!!! Absolutely loved it.

I am a huge Karen Perry fan, and Your Closest Friend is another brilliant read for me that ticks all the boxes - interesting characters, secrets, and mystery mixed with a real sense of atmosphere.

I liked that the beginninf really left me wondering where the book was going to go - I had purposefully not read the synopsis again right before starting the book, so the sense of confusion and havoc surrounding the terrorist attack which takes place right at the start of the book really threw me! I wondered how this would all tie in - but everything soon kicks into action! 

The story strikes just the right balance between believable relationships, such as Cara and Jeff's, and the more 'unusual' bonds and ties that hold other characters together. Some characters I warmed to, others seem to be completely mad, but every page left me wanting to move onto the next. I liked that you know some aspects of what's happening before Cara herself, as you read the novel from two perspectives: Cara's and Amy's - at times I wanted to shout out to Cara and warn her!

I never found myself getting bored; the pacing was just right and the way Karen Perry describes Cara's thoughts and feelings felt very convincing. I love her writing and I am so pleased that Your Closest Friend is another hit for me!

The movies Single White Female and Fatal Attraction launched the phenomena of crazy chicks for my generation. Both were shocking at the time of their release and set the bar for obsessiveness. Indeed, 20-30 years on we still talk about SWFing someone or 'bunny boilers'.

It probably means books involving characters obsessed with others are less surprising than they once were. Or perhaps less horrific (rather than predictable) because we've become inured in some way. Your Closest Friend by Karen Perry explores such an obsession, though it's borne of a very unlikely situation.

In some ways Cara meets Amy at the most inopportune time. For her. It's good timing for Amy, but for Cara... she's feeling fragile after being confronted by an old love and with an old secret. Being caught up in a terrifying terror attack compounds that fragility and means she's probably more vulnerable than she'd normally be.

And unfortunately for Cara, the turmoil comes from several sources. Not just Amy.

Amy's backstory unfolds throughout the novel and I appreciated that Perry didn't cast her as a complete crazy. She's sympathetic and - mostly, or initially - kinda likeable. Similarly Cara was happily complex. She's fallible and we're in her head (as well as Amy's) so know that she's struggling with her conscience over the spate of recent events.

Perry also paces this novel well so there's a tension building and (though there's an element of predictability) we're not quite sure 'who' will blow first or what the repercussions will be.

3.5 stars

A creepy phschological thriller that at times made my skin crawl. Cara is saved from a crazed street killer by Amy and their lives then seem to intertwine completely. I couldn’t warm to Amy she seemed manipulative from the beginning and was obviously damaged psychologically,so much so that I found myself wanting to warn Cara off her. As the story unfolds the various twists and turns keep you guessing . The device of using the two women as narrators makes it even more tense at times. I admit there were a few times when I had to suspend my disbelief at some of the things Cara did , but then fear ,stress and trauma can make people behave in an odd way

Your Closest Friend

I loved the idea of this but it didn’t grab my attention as I had hoped it would. It took me well over a week to finish which is a long time for me. I carried on with it in the hope it would get better but unfortunately for me it didn’t.